The Fantastical Life of Elaide
by oofqueen
Summary: Elaide was a normal girl, all she ever wanted was independence and a well paying job to support herself. But now, after a mysterious butterfly shows up, Elaide might get more than she asked for.
1. Chapter 1: New Life

**This is based off of a game called "Fantasy Life". I don't own the game, only Elaide. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter One: New Life

Elaide P.O.V.

 _Fiery embers burst out in front of me, decorating the ground with red and orange sparks. The dead grass quickly catches fire, adding to the horrific light show unfolding in front of me. An old wooden building erupts in flames, getting swallowed by the malicious blaze. Men and women pile out, screaming in a mad frenzy to escape. The women's long garments are all singed near the bottom, their bonnets astray, while the men's coattails are scorched and ashy._

 _Eager to flee, I turn on my heels, nearly tripping over my own self as I dash into the woods. My arms reach in front of me, grasping at the clean forest air. My triumph is short lasted, as a pair of clawed hands clasp around my legs, dragging me back towards the chaos._

 _The woman who grabbed me spins me around to look at her, removing her cloak. Her face is severely deformed, as if it were melting off from the heat._

 _"Oh, Elaide, how beautiful you've grown up to be! My little angel!", her voice grows more distorted with every word she speaks._

 _In a feat of strength, she pushes me back towards the flames, sending me cascading into the rubble. The fire licks at me, hungry for its next meal. It pulls me inwards, burning my arms, and-_

"Elaide!"

"Gah!", I screech, falling out of my bed, blanket in tow.

Pam is standing in the doorway, broom in hand, staring at me with worry in her eyes. "I heard screaming! Is everything alright? Did you have another nightmare?"

"I-I guess so," I mumble, my heart still racing from my dream. I shake my head. "I'm fine. Thanks Pam."

Pam is my aunt. She raised me since before I could talk. She's the only real family member I know. Well, that's not entirely true. She has a few sisters, my other aunts, that visit occasionally, but I'm not really close to them. Pam's like a mom to me, really, as I don't know my real mother. She left me on Pam's doorstep one day when I was only a few months old. I've never heard from her since. I can barely even remember what she looks like, besides from her eyes. They were a gorgeous dark brown color, much like mine.

"Oh! That reminds me!" Pam exclaims. "You got a letter from the king! It must be about you starting your Life today. Are you sure you want to be a Paladin? I heard it's dangerous! All that fighting... won't that be scary for a young lady such as yourself? You could always work here at the real estate agency."

"Auntie, I'll be fine," I insist. "I can handle myself, I've been practicing with a sword for months now! I really want to do this. It's my calling. Trust me, I got this."

I flash Pam a smile and she grins back at me. "Ok, darling. Get dressed and come outside to get your mail. Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

I throw on a Castelian blouse and skirt, sliding on my brown leather boots as I run out the door. Excitement and nervousness are coursing throw my veins as I run down the creaky wooden steps. Pam is waiting patiently at the mailbox, letter in hand.

"Oh, Elaide, there you are!" the woman chuckles. "I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I skimmed through your mail while waiting."

I grunt and roll my eyes. "You still do that?"

She replies with a hearty laugh and hands me my letter. The envelope is white, encrusted with golden markings all over its front. The royal seal sits in the center, staring right through me. I tear open the letter, pulling out the parchment inside. Nervously, I push my lucious, light brown curls out of my face, uncovering my eyes so I can read:

'Dearest Elaide,

I congratulate you upon getting accepted as a Paladin in training. After retrieving your official license from the Guild Office, report immediately to the palace for further instruction. I wish you ever prosperity and joy in your Life.

Sincerely, King Erik.'

Pam smiles enthusiastically at me and pats me on the back. "Do you know how to reach the Guild?"

I nod. Castele Square isn't too big. It isn't easy to get lost in.

"Alright, Elaide," Pam hugs me. "I want you to be safe, y'hear? No getting hurt, no getting into trouble, okay?"

"Of course, Pam." She smiles and slips me some candy. I thank her. Pam is famous for making amazing sweets.

Shoving the candy in my pouch for later, I head off towards the Guild Office. Ever since I was young, I had always wanted to get a Life and support myself. Now that I'm finally able to, it's hard to hold in my excitement.

As soon as I enter the office, I'm greeted with a rush of musty air. I can already tell that all the employees are less then ecstatic about working here. The man at the front desk greets me with a halfhearted grunt.

"G'morning, and welcome t'the," he pauses to yawn, "one and only Guild Office in Castele. How may I be of your service on this fine, fine day?" He puts in no effort to sound sincere, staring impatiently at me for an answer.

"I'm here to pick up a Paladin license. It should be under the name-",

"Elaide," he cuts me off, pulling out a thick yet small piece of parchment. Scrawled on top were the words "Novice Paladin".

"Now, repeating things makes my sciatica flare up, so try t'listen up. Each time y'rank up, your title'll change, so make sure t'come in here each time t'get your license updated. Now, second important thing is that you need t'remember to-",

"H-h-hey! Leave me alone! Let me go!"

His spiel is interrupted by someone yelling in town square. They sound like they are being attacked.

"Probably just some punk kids acting up again. Anyway, like I was sayin'-",

I cut him off and run outside. At the center of the square stood two men, nearly the complete opposite. They were brothers, notorious for causing messes around Castele. The older brother, Pierre, was the douchbag mastermind behind most of the duo's schemes. He's a self-proclaimed charmer who can't get enough of himself. The younger brother, Butch, is pretty harmless, for the most part. He follows his bigger brother mindlessly, aspiring to be just like him. It never really works out for him, as he's pretty dim.

It looks like they're talking to thin air, that is, until I step closer to them. A beautiful golden butterfly is flapping around in front of them, seemingly having a heated argument. The butterfly's... talking? I don't know why it's so surprising. Castele, nay, Reveria as a whole is a pretty strange place.

"I-I just want to get to the c-castle!" The butterfly is looking visibly frightened, pulling at my heartstrings. I rush over to the group and take a position next to fluttering insect. This could be my first mission as a Paladin.

"H-halt! In the name of the law!" I exclaim, occupying a fight stance. I cringe as the words leave my mouth. I can already feel the blood rush to my cheeks in embarrassment.

Pierre can barely hold back his snickering, and I ring my fingers with shame. The butterfly flapped behind me silently, but I could feel her nerves begin to lessen.

"I think girlie here needs to be taught a lesson on _intruding_ , don't you think, Butch?" Pierre chuckles slyly, a mischievous grin creeping up his face. "Butch, would you do the honors of emptying out her pockets?"

"Of course, bro," Butch walked over to me and aggressively grabbed my satchel. He reaches his small, pudgy hands into the deep pocket. "Hey bro! She don't got no Dosh in here!"

"No Dosh?" Pierre inquires. "C'mon, she's got to have something."

"Oh, wait! Here's somethin'!"

"Ah! I knew she must have something on her!"

"Nah, man. It ain't Dosh, it's candy!" Butch pulls the candy Pam gave me out of my pouch and shows Pierre.

"Well, it's better than nothing, I suppose. Hand it over," Pierre beckons while shoving his hand out to collect his brother's finding.

After popping the sweet in his mouth, Pierre walks off, Butch not far behind. The butterfly turns to talk to me.

"Hey, thanks for your help. Those ruffians are quite the duo, huh? They kept saying they were going to sell me."

"Oh, it was no problem. I mean, I don't feel I really did much to help. Only managed to lose my food and my dignity," I laugh at my own self depreciating joke. The butterfly doesn't seem to be amused, so I stop.

"Well," the insect continues. "I need to get on my to the castle. Do you by any chance know how to get there? Actually, you know, I'll be fine. Thanks again! Be seeing you."

I wave the butterfly off as she makes her way to the palace. I notice that she leaves a trail of golden light in her wake whenever she flies. _How peculiar_.

"I should probably head on my, too," I mutter to myself. I fix my pilfered through satchel and readjust myself.

It doesn't take long to reach the castle. It's grand stone pillars are hard to miss. The royal family certainly didn't spare any expense while decorating. The walls were covered in gorgeous stain glass windows, casting their colorful shadows over the expensive tiled floor. Red cashmere carpets lined the path to the ballroom and blanketed the stairs.

The entire sight catches me off guard and sends me into a trance of awe and splendor. I have never seen anything as beautiful as this before. My eyes sparkle as I try to take in everything at once.

"Excuse me, uh, l-lady?"

A Paladin tapping me on the shoulder snaps me out of my daze.

"Oh. Sorry," I shake my head. Flustered, I gather my thoughts and head for the stairway, towards the throne room. The throne room door is grand and wooden, with each intricate detail carved into it by a skilled carpenter. Pam and I live in one of the less wealthy parts of town. Luxuries like these are hard to come by.

I suddenly realize that I'm about to meet the King if Castele. I don't know why I haven't come to this realization sooner. It's a huge honor to even look at him, much less speak to him. I begin to feel nauseated. Damn anxiety.

I reach my hand out to push open the doors, but am stopped by a Paladin grabbing my arm. "Excuse me, ma'am," he pulls me back. "We here at the castle have a strict dress code. Formal attire is enforced at all times. At least you had the audacity to put on a skirt."

"You li-",

"BUT THAT'S NOT FAIR!".

My comeback is interrupted by someone screaming in the lobby down below. The two Paladins and I dash to look over the guardrail, and who else but the butterfly is fluttering around downstairs. I rush over to her.

"I'm sorry, butterfly, but the king doesn't allow insects in his court," an old man passively informs her. I assume that this man is the minister, one of the king's most trusted informers.

"So you're not gonna let me in just because I'm a butterfly? That's plain discrimination!" the bug continues. "H-hey look! That's my friend... uh, what's your name again?"

"Elaide."

"Yeah, Elaide! My friend Elaide! See, you get friends when you're _nice_ to people. Of course you wouldn't know that," the butterfly says as she glares at the minister.

It's clear that the old man is getting frustrated with the insect's antics. He shoos her out the front gate and waves her off. I choose to follow her. After all, I have no way of getting to see the king.

I sit on the front steps of the castle with a discouraged look written on my face. I can here the butterfly's tiny wings flapping directly next to my ear. "I think... I think I might have an idea of how to get in."

I look up at the glowing insect with a streak of hope. "Really?"

"Yeah! I hope. Stand up," she commands.

I do as she says and she begins to glitter even more than usual. Gaining momentum, she flies towards me. My natural reflexes kick in and I flinch. After feeling a tickling sensation against my collarbone, I open my eyes.

She is perched above my shirt collar, much like a bow tie. A fashionable one, at that.

"This way I'll be able to sneak in, and you'll be compliant with the dress code," the butterfly exclaims enthusiastically.

I have to give her props. For someone who was fighting with a group of criminals and didn't think to fly _over_ them, it's a pretty smart idea.

Walking back inside with renewed confidence, I flaunt my "bow tie" with pride. Growing up, I never really had nice clothes, so even though it's an illusion, it's still feels nice. I can feel the throne room guards staring me down as I approach.

"Ma'am, we've told you before, we have a strict policy when it comes to-," he pauses as his eyes pass over the tie. "O-oh, my mistake, ma'am. Go right ahead. Enjoy your visit with the king."

I nod my head, silently cursing at him in response to his attitude towards me earlier. Even as he waved me through the doors, his eyes were trained on my bow tie.

Upon entering the throne room, I'm hit with another realization. I've never actually seen what the king looks like. I'm surprised people don't actually talk about him more. He looks to be a child, at most three feet tall. His eyes are half closed, riddled with boredom and sleep deprivation.

"Is he a... child?" I hear the butterfly whisper to me under my chin.

"Welcome, welcome," the king sighs. "As you know, I'm King Erik Stone, _fearless_ leader of Castele. So, I guess you're here to receive the introduction for your new Life as a Paladin. That's what you applied for, right? I didn't pay attention much during the morning briefing."

"Darling, at least try to look interested," a beautiful woman in a flowing gown cuts in. "I apologize for my husband. He never enjoys such occasions. He's just extra frustrated that our daughter is off adventuring without his permission again. Isn't that right, honey?"

"He's married? And has a child?" the insect asks me, surprised. I'm just as perplexed as she. He looks like a young kid.

"Basically," he continues, ignoring the queen's remark, "all you need to know is that your Life master, Mustang, will teach you all you need to know." He hands me a bag filled with armor, a sword, and a map. "That should help you get started. Any other questions you have you can direct to Captain Mustang. I hope you enjoy your new Life, and feel free to visit the castle whenever you so wish." I can feel his apathy towards explaining this to me. At this point, he's basically pushing me out the door. I take the hint and show myself out.

Standing outside of the castle now, a pull out the map Erik gave me. I have my whole Life in front of me now.

"Hey, so, I was thinking..." the butterfly says, still clinging onto my collarbone.

"What is it?" I inquire, even though I already know what's coming next.

"Maybe... maybe I could stick around with you for awhile? At least for the time being? I mean if not it's totally-",

Usually, I would turn down having a talking insect asking to hang with me. But I guess I'm turning over a new leave, with my new job and all. What could it hurt, anyway. She's just a butterfly. I could use a friend, anyway.

"Of course."

I can feel the butterfly flutter with excitement.

"Wait a minute, what's your name, anyway?" I ask her.

"Butterfly. You can call me Butterfly."

 **Thanks for reading the first chapter! Chapter 2 should probably come out next week!**


	2. Chapter 2: Paladin in Training

**This is based off of a game called "Fantasy Life". I don't own the game, only Elaide. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Two: Paladin in Training

Elaide P.O.V.

I stand in the Castele Fashion Boutique dressing room, admiring myself in the mirror. I'm wearing the new armor the king gave me, fashioning the sword on my thigh. The ensemble is gorgeous; all silver and cobalt. I strike a pose, trying to make myself look fierce.

"Are you done in there yet?" The store clerk calls out. "I've got customers waiting."

"U-uh, yes ma'am," I stutter, mortified. I push myself out of the small cubicle and show off my outfit. "So, just how ugly do I look?"

My new companion, Butterfly, shimmers with glee. "That looks so great on you!" She proceeds to reattach herself at my collar. "So, where are we off to next?"

I pull my scrolled up map out of my bag. "I don't know. The king said I'd find my Life Master at the Paladin's Hold. According to the map, it's just up near the castle." Butterfly is practically dragging me forwards at this point. "C'mon, let's go!

Upon reaching the hold, I'm greeted by nearly getting stabbed by a woman aimlessly swinging her sword around.

"Hey, how about you watch where you're going!" She shouts at me instead of apologizing.

"What's up with her?" Butterfly asks from under my chin. "Why's she so rude?"

I shrug. "It's just how everyone acts. You'll get used to it," I reply under my breath.

I enter the Paladin's Hold, the stench of sweat hitting me in the nose. I gag.

"Ah! It appears to be another Paladin hopeful, eh? Don't be scared, I don't bite. Come over here, will ya?" A muscular man says, beckoning to me.

"So, you're interested in the Paladin Life, huh?" he continues as I walk over to him. "I'm Mustang. Captain Mustang, actually. As a Paladin, protecting Castele is your top priority, ya hear? You have to put yourself in danger for the sake of others. Not like there're any real dangers, though. But if there ever is a problem, we Paladins rely on the basic sword and shield! You know how to use a sword, right?"

I nod. "Yeah I'm pretty good, I th-,"

"Good, good," he says, cutting me off. "You should be fine. There's another novice outside, Roslyn, that should be able to help you with showing you the ropes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got work to do."

I awkwardly salute him and show myself out. The fresh air is a relief for my aching sense of smell. I spot an armor clad girl, most likely the Paladin that Mustang was talking about, standing next to a sign. I can feel her energy from where I'm standing, and her hyperness is overwhelming.

"Hi!" she exclaims when she sees me. "You must be the new Paladin! The Captain told me to help you get the hang of things. I've been a Paladin for nearly three days now, so I know my way around. If you're ready, let's get started! Oh, this is gonna be so fun! Race you to the stables!"

Roslyn dashes off, not waiting for me to respond. I sigh.

"I guess it's off to the stables, then," I shake my head. "At least it's nice outside."

The roads leading to the stables are peaceful and nearly empty. Although I was raised in the more populated area of Castele, the country is always a nice break.

Roslyn is sitting on a trough when I arrive. "Took you long enough!" she shouts. "I want you to meet Isobel! She's a _professional_ Paladin! She's worked longer than both of us _combined_! Can you believe that?" She motions to an older girl, whom I immediately recognize as the person who nearly decapitated me earlier.

"So, you want me to train you pups to become the king's loyal knights? What do you expect from me? I'm not a magician," she chuckles. "Nah kiddos, I think I'm good."

I squint my eyes at her, while Roslyn crosses her arms. "Oh, Izzy!" she whines in desperation. "Why do you have to be like that? You're more experienced than us! We need you to train us! Please? I'll... I'll do anything you want! For a month!"

I turn to stop her, but Isobel's interest is already peaked. "Deal!" she shouts before the younger girl changes her mind. Roslyn may be annoying and overly excitable, but I still feel bad for her. I can tell by the mischievous glint in Isobel's eye that she has various tasks already planned for the unsuspecting fledgling.

"So, can you pups fight?" she asks with a false interest. "Get out your swords."

"I can fight pretty well, I think," I respond, grabbing my weapon and assuming a fighting stance alongside my partner. I watch her stumble with her pose out of the corner of my eye.

"Okay, rookie, how about you show me what you've got?" Isobel commands, pointing to a battered training dummy. There are seams running all across it's form, marking where a tailor tried their best to stitch up the dozens of slashes carved by Paladins and Mercenaries alike. "Go ahead, take a shot."

I bite my tongue, willing myself not to retort. I saunter over to the target, fingers grazing my hilt. Eye to eye with the fabricated mannequin, I carefully draw my sword. My palm wraps perfectly around the handle. It feels so light in my hand, allowing me to easily swing it around at my opponent. The blade is a polished silver with hellishly sharp edges.

I take a swing at the dummy. The sword cuts through the air with minimal effort. The reflective metal of the blade gleams in the late morning sun as it slices through the targets neck. It's rounded head flies off into the cobblestone street, sending cotton particles all throughout the air. A single dandelion sized puff lands in one of my caramel colored ringlets, and I quickly pull it out.

"Wow," I hear someone mutter behind me.

"It took me three days to master that move!" Roslyn exclaims as I turn around to face them. "You must be a natural!"

"I-I just practice a lot," I correct her, blushing.

"Big deal, so kid can swing a sword. If you're looking for a _real_ challenge, Porthos can probably give you one- you know, I've gotta get busy, so if you would kindly go talk to him," Isobel grunts, clearly flustered. She storms off, her boots kicking up dust as she walks.

"Ha! She's just jealous!" Butterfly laughs. I jump. I forgot she was still perched on my collarbone.

"Porthos is usually in the Shopping District," Roslyn chirps. "He likes how all the markets give out free samples. We should be able to find him there!" She grabs my hand and pulls me behind her. "Come on, slow poke!"

Just as Roslyn said, Porthos is loitering in the Shopping District, picking through all the fine deli meats and exotic fruits displayed across each stand. The sellers portray the same look of annoyance and thinning tolerance for the lumbering knight.

"Hey, Rosy!" the heavyset man exclaims when he sees us. "Who's your friend?"

Roslyn looks extra perky when he greets her. "Hi, Porthos, sir! This is Elaide! She's a new Paladin."

"Ah, I see, I see," he chuckles, and I notice a speck of food clinging to his chin. "I guess you've come to me for some fighting tips, huh? Well, there's not much I can offer you, but... the shield's a pretty important part of battling. You can block your opponent's attacks with it. Actually... nah, you know all this already. Battling basics, really. But what I like to do is use my shield as a tray. It comes in handy when I'm out here getting samples, but I don't have anything to put my food on. Really useful."

"Sir, I don't think-,"

"All this talking's making my kinda thirsty. I could really go for a cup of nice, cold, refreshing apple juice, ya know? Would you two be dears and go fetch me some? Oh, could it be from the Appleseed Café? They make the best juice."

Roslyn salutes and bolts off. I sigh.

"But we just got here..." I mumble to Butterfly defeatedly. I take off in a mad sprint to keep up with my partner.

As soon as we arrive, Roslyn cascades up to the front counter. "Hello, Mr. Apfel?" she asks the employee in her usual bubbly manner. "Can I place an order for one glass of apple juice?"

The man shakes his head. "Sorry, sport, but I'm kinda dealing with a shortage of apples. It's really driving my business into the ground. It's some problem with the orchards, I guess. I haven't been getting shipments." His eyes are dark with solemnity.

Roslyn frowns and nods. "Thank you. I understand."

She turns to me with a broken expression. "They're all out. Lack of shipments or something," she shakes her head. "I guess we should go break the news to Porthos."

The usually chipper girl's face is shattered with disappointment. I feel like I should do something. "Hey, this could be our first case!" I immediately regret it as soon as I speak. "The case of the missing apples."

Her face lights up and I can sense her renewed excitement. "That's a great idea! You're such a genius! 'The Case of the Missing Macintoshes... it has a nice ring to it! We should go ask the Paladins stationed at their posts if they know anything. It's a good start!"

Once again, the cheery girl races off, leaving me in the dust. "What did I just get myself into?"

It's not hard to find Roslyn. She hadn't run far. She's questioning an oblivious Paladin standing rigid against the base of a bridge.

"Have you seen anything mysterious around here recently?" she inquires the lanky guard.

"N-no si- ma'am! Nothing new to report!" he stumbles.

"Well, nothing new here. Meet you at the next post!" Roslyn says in a singsongy voice.

I catch her by the arm before she manages to run off. "Don't you think it would be a better idea to ask the people stationed around the actual orchard?" I ask in desperation.

She looks back at me. "Hey, that a good plan! How do you think of all this stuff?" Her face is painted in legitimate wonder. It's obvious that she's a bit of an airhead.

Once again, I find myself panting as we reach our next destination. The Southern Castelian breeze gently brushes against my face, cooling me off.

"Elaide, look! There're more Paladins over there!" Roslyn points to two unenthusiastic looking men stiffly positioned in front of a carved stone arch.

"Hello, good sirs!" she skips up to them. "My partner and I are investigating a case involving stolen apples. Have you noticed anything of interest lately?"

"Actually..." one of the Paladins rests his chin in his palm. "There were some shady lookin' guys that passed through here a little while ago. Maybe they're up to somethin'?"

Roslyn's eyes fill with hope. "Can you describe them?"

"There were three of 'em," the second Paladin speaks up. "They were carryin' these burlap sack over their shoulders. Their faces were covered with dark hoods, so I didn't get a good look."

"And you didn't think to stop them? Sacks and all?" I ask, confused. It doesn't take a scientist to understand that they were definitely planning something.

"Look, when you gotta stand in one spot all day, you aren't usually in the mood to involve yourself in such things," the Paladin on the left retorts.

"Come on, Elaide!" Roslyn shouts. "Let's go find our guys! They should be at the orchard, right?" In a fit of excitement, she speeds off in the wrong direction.

I shake my head and trudge off towards the bandits. I can't help but feel excited as well. My first case as a Paladin. This is something I've wanted since before I can remember.

I slouch down behind a tree resting outside the orchard. I place my hand on my sword and peer out from behind my hiding spot.

There are three men huddled together near the largest tree. There heads were cloaked with purple hoods, just like the guards described. Their bags were heavy with ripened apples. I can tell that they're discussing something. I strain my ears to listen.

"'Ey, boss, what're we plannin' on doin' with these apples once we got 'em all?" one of the men asks.

"Are you bein' serious right now?" the "boss" questions. "How many times do I gotta go over this? We're gonna sell them and make a profit! You're just so damn infuriating sometimes!"

The criminals seem distracted at the moment, and I decide this is a perfect time to sneak up on them. All I have to do is knock them out with the back of my sword, tie them up, and turn them into the Captain.

I slide my slender body out from behind the oak. I unsheathe my weapon and sneak up behind my targets. I'm nearly breathing on the middle guy's neck.

"Hey, Elaide, you found the orchard- oh..." Roslyn surprises me from behind, causing me to nearly drop my sword. The thieves whip around, daggers drawn.

"Damn it, Roslyn!" I yell, rage and worry rushing through my veins.

She blushes. "S-sorry..."

The head criminal swings his weapon and misses. "You thought you could drag us in without a fight?" he grunts sourly. He swings again, this time it scrapes against my armor. I take my fighting stance.

I charge at him, attempting to catch him off guard. He takes another stab at me, but I dodge, sliding behind him. I take my temporary advantage to grasp my hands around his neck. I bring the blunt end of my sword down on his skull. I release my grip on him and he collapses on the ground, unconscious.

I spot Roslyn a few yards over, tackling another bandit. That's two, only one more. I turn my head, and notice the third man running towards me. He pushes me down onto the pillowy grass. He lifts up his metal heeled boot in an attempt to step on me. I nimbly roll out of the way, just in time. I jump up, my sword pointed at him. His knife is pointed at me in return, hatred in his eyes. He lunges at me, but I'm quicker. I stab him in the shoulder with my blade, crimson blood seeping through his shirt. He screeches and falls back.

"See? I told you that you were a natural!" someone says behind me. I look up and see Roslyn. "Hey, help me tie them up." She tosses me some rope. I wrap up the criminal's wrists in knots. We tie them all up together in somewhat of a parade formation. We each sling a burlap sack of apples over our shoulder.

"I think this was a pretty interesting first case, don't you think?" I ask my partner, breaking the silence as we walk the prisoners out of the orchard.

"Are you kidding? That was invigorating!" she shouts excitedly.

We decide to deliver the apples to the café before turning in the bandits. The bags are starting to weigh down on our muscles. The thieves had really gotten to work stealing the fruit. Both the bags are heavier than Roslyn and I combined.

Mr. Apfel is stoked to see us arrive with the missing fruits. "You... you did it! How did you... how can I thank you?" His eyes shine with joy.

"It was no problem, sir!" Roslyn salutes. "It all comes with being a Paladin!" I sigh at her innocence. I mean, personally, I'd say that a free lunch would be an acceptable reward.

He gleefully accepts the sacks and waves us on our way. "I love this job!" Roslyn laughs. "I know it seems cliche, but, helping people makes me so happy!" Butterfly seems to flutter in agreement.

We seem like quite a sight, marching a band of hooded men through the city. I can feel people's eyes staring at us as we make our way to the Paladin's Hold. But I don't mind. I feel kind of proud about what I accomplished.

When we enter the hold, all the Paladins look up at us in confusion. The Captain is no exception.

"Well, well! Elaide and Roslyn, what do we have here?" He inquires, pulling at his mustache. "Did Isobel send them?"

I can see Roslyn is about the speak up, but I take her place instead. "Actually, sir, we caught them ourselves."

"Well, I'll be damned! Two novices, taking down a gang of bandits? I thought I'd never see the day." He ushers to group of Paladins to take the criminals away. "I think this calls for a promotion." I can hardly believe it. A promotion already? On my first day, too.

"A promotion? Do you hear that Elaide? You're doing pretty good at this whole having a Life thing," Butterfly whispers cheerfully. "Hey, I'm pretty beat. Do you think we could head to your house? I want to see where you call home." I almost forgot that I only met her today, and she hasn't gotten the chance to she where I live.

"Sure," I reply.

After receiving a written not for the Guild Office about my titlee change, I let myself out the door. It's night time now, and I am absolutely exhausted. It's been a long day.

The walk through the square is calming. Everyone's gone to bed by now, so there's no one standing in the road that I have to push past. The lightning bugs are the only traffic here, gracefully decorating the sky with their tiny lights. I look up at Lunares for the first time in a while. It's soft white cast dances peacefully across my face.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I ask Butterfly, almost unaware of my surroundings.

"Gorgeous," she responds after a minute.

We continue the walk to Pam's house in a peaceful silence. It feels like the environment might shatter with a single word.

The door to my bedroom creaks upon, breaking our trance-like admiration. Butterfly looks around.

"So this is where you live?" she asks, interested.

"Yeah," I nod my head slowly. "Only the upstairs. My aunt owns the entire downstairs."

You have an aunt? I'd love to meet her," the insect says, now sitting on top of one of my bedposts. "What about the rest of your family?"

I seize up. "I never knew them. They.. they left me when I was young. I guess they just... didn't want me," I shrug. I never bring up my family in front of other people. Not even Pam.

"I-I'm so sorry..." she stutters.

"No, it fine. It's no big deal. You didn't know. It's just... it's just a sensitive topic." the room falls silent as I sit down on my bed. "Good night, Butterfly."

"Good night, Elaide."

 **So that's Chapter 2 done. That took _so_ long. Chapter 3 should be expected to come out maybe a week from now. Bye for now~**


	3. Chapter 3: The Goddess and the Egg

**This is based off of a game called "Fantasy Life". I don't own the game, only Elaide. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Three: The Goddess and the Egg

Elaide P.O.V.

I skip out of the Guild Office, license in hand. Holding it up to admire, the words "Fledgling Paladin" sparkle in the sunlight.

"Fledgling Paladin... it has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" I ask Butterfly.

"Ha! Yeah, it does," she laughs.

I slide my card into my satchel and readjust my outfit. I had changed out of my armor, back into my basic blouse and skirt. The armor looked nice, but it does start to weigh on me after running around in it for a few hours. I think I'll keep to only wearing it when I'm working.

"So," I start. "we have all day to do whatever we want. What are you thinking?" I wait for Butterfly to reply. After a minute of no response, I try again. "Are you awake?"

"Oh.. yeah. I'm fine. Sorry," she says, snapping back into reality. "I'm just feeling a bit homesick, that's all. What was the question?"

I debate on whether or not to ask her where she came from, but ultimately decide against it. It doesn't seem like now's a good time. "What do you want to do?"

She glitters in consideration. "Well... I've been wanting to learn more about Castelian culture... do you think that... that maybe we could visit the Goddess Statue?"

I grin. "Sure! Let's go." She stares at me.

"Really? We're going?"

"Why not?" I shrug. "I don't have any plans today." I can tell she's getting visibly excited now.

The walk to the statue is a short one. It's located right in the heart of Castele Square.

The sculpture itself in placed in the center of a fountain, where the water is always a crystal clear blue. The royal family of Castele hires someone to maintain the water quality as a way of honoring the Life Goddess. In the statue's hand is an old fashioned lantern, supposedly representing the eternal flames of joy and wishes. At least that's what people say. I've never paid much attention to Reverian lore and myths and the such. I've always been more focused on the important things in life, such as money and work.

"Wow! It's beautiful!" Butterfly exclaims when she sees it. "So this is what everyone's been talking about!" She flies up to it. "The Life Goddess..."

"She is a beaut, isn't she?" An old man stands next to us.

"And who are you?" I ask, spooked. I didn't even hear him approach.

"Just your averege, old history buff," he answers. "They erected this statue even before I was born."

Butterfly snickers. "And how long ago was that?" I silently laugh alongside her.

"About two years before needless snark," he tuts. "Now can I continue? Thank you. Now, as I was saying, this statue is dirt old. Castelians built this sculpture to honor the Goddess. The Goddess was a fair, selfless maiden, always putting others in front of herself. She came to Reveria in a time of poverty, depression and war. All the citizens were apathetic and uninspired. Her heart was broken at the sight of their pathetic quarreling, and decided to put their unease to rest. She began to fulfill their wishes and wildest dreams. This created an era of peace across the lands. But of course, the Goddess couldn't keep up with the wishes of every citizen in Reveria. So she made a way that Reverians themselves could grant the wishes of others. This was in the form of a Life. And that is why... that's why people call her-"

"The Life Goddess!" Butterfly finishes enthusiastically.

"Yes, my fluttering friend," he nods. "That's why they call her the Life Goddess."

"I want to grant people's wishes, too!" Butterfly glows. "Elaide, if you had one wish, what would it be?"

I close my almond brown eyes and think. "I guess... I guess just to have a steady job that pays well. Financial independence, y'know."

Butterfly turns to the elderly man. "What about you?"

He shakes his head. "I'm too old for all that wishin' and such. When you get to be my age, you start to lose faith in dreams. Hoping isn't gonna get you anywhere when you're countin' your days."

"Don't say that!" Butterfly gasps worriedly. "You're never too old for wishing!" The elderly man chuckles in response.

"Elaide!" Butterfly shifts her attention to me. "What do you think? Wanna go on a wish collecting mission with me?" She stares at me with hopeful, begging eyes. "Please?"

I roll my eyes playfully. "You know what? Sure. What have I got to lose?" I say with no intention of partaking in this.

She shimmers and flutters around my head gleefully. "Thank you!"

"You know," the old man butts in, seemingly having tuned out everything else. "You might be right, insect. I do have one wish."

Butterfly stares at him with excitement. "Really?! What is it?"

He rests his chin on his palm. "I would love to get my hands on a large Napdragon egg. They just taste so great when scrambled. I'm getting dreamy just thinking about it." He pauses and sighs, enamored. "Could you get me one? It'll pay well. I can offer you two-hundred Dosh."

My breath catches. People pay for this? I could pick this up as a side job! "U-uh, Of course!" I stutter, still shocked. I already have eight-hundred Dosh lining my pockets. This extra cash could top it off to one-thousand. That's more money than I've ever seen in my life.

He smiles and hands me something. "Take this for protection while scouting the plains. There are plenty of beasts roaming it's turf that could easily kill someone." I look down at the object he laid in my hands. It's an old necklace, the rope looking worn and ancient. The charm is a carved wooden sphere, smoothed with time.

"It's an... old family heirloom," he locks eyes with it. "My father passed it down to me, and his father to him. I never... I never had any kids to... to pass it down to. I figured that it's about time to move on from that particular dream. I want you to keep it."

"Th-thank you, sir," I intertwine the jewelry with my fingers anxiously.

He seems to have already forgotten about the encounter. "What a beautiful day it is, huh?" He gazes at the clouds.

I stare at him sadly and motion to Butterfly. "C'mon, let's go find that egg."

The East Grassy Plains is a spectacular sight. The shining blue sky spills over the land, each blade of grass dancing in the breeze. The luscious plateau seems to go on for eons, eventually giving way to flowing hills. Only a few trees spot the landscape, the leafage only beginning to pick up towards the Elderwood.

"Wow..." Butterfly exhales in my ear. My breath catches in my throat along with hers. "It's massive!" I only nod dreamily, attempting to comprehend the scene before me.

The golden insect nudges my hand forward. "He said it was a Napdragon egg, right? It should be in the same general area, then. It shouldn't be hard. A dragon can't really hide."

I tred down the initial decline, Butterfly trailing close behind. My shoes trample upon the browning, bare path, marked by the hundreds of past adventurers who travelled through here. I adjust my leather book bag, pulling the straps back up my shoulders. I had grabbed it to put the egg in before I came here. There's no way anything from a dragon could possibly fit in my satchel, so I brought backup.

Butterfly gasps from beside me. "Look!" I snap my head up. The trail ahead is occupied by a flock of white woolies. They graze peacefully, gnawing on grass and various flowers. A lone lamb strays behind the rest, it's short legs trying in vain to catch up. Butterfly flies up to it, perching on the top of it's nose. "This one's so small!"

I join her and kneel down to greet the woolie. It's pearly white coat is spotted with leaves and other greenery, eyes gleaming with innocence. I reach my hand out to stroke under its chin, and notice that one of it's legs are tinted with red. It bends outward at an awkward angle, a deep bloodied gash digging down to the bone.

"Hey, Butterfly, look at this..." I say, craning my neck to get a better look. I lightly grab to unwounded part of the leg.

"Poor thing!" she coos. "How do you think that happened?"

"Coyotes," I guess with certainty. "They're all over the plains." I examine the injury closer. _Wait_. I pull out an HP potion that one of the Paladins gave me yesterday, getting an idea. I've heard that it's supposed to be some type of "miracle" healing elixir, but I've never used it personally. I pour it on the woolie's leg, not knowing what to expect. The green liquid sizzles upon contact, filling the infected wound. The young mammal whinnies in distress. The concoction starts to foam, dripping onto the ground, burning the grass. I shoot my hand back. I didn't want my hand to get charred. Fearing that the young animal faces the same fate, I seize the leg, examining it nervously. Instead of blackened, burned skin, the cut's healed, not showing any evidence that there had actually been any previous opening.

"It's... gone!" Butterfly shouts, suspicious. "That's so cool- and slightly creepy." She stares at the now empty flask. "How does it do that?"

I shrug. "Some chemical reaction, I guess?" I throw the vial in my satchel. Petting the woolie farewell, I stand up, scouting out the area. "The Napdragon usually remains on elavated ground," I say, recalling something Roslyn had mentioned whilst fantasizing about becoming a dragon slayer. I point to a series of eastern hills. "Over there should be a good place to start."

I begin our jaunt, the wind gently beating against my face as I walk. I can feel Butterfly wrap her spindly legs around one of my locks, her golden glint present in the corner of my vision. The beginning of the walk is silent. That's fine. It gives me more time to absorb the expensive scenery around me. The trail is lined with with white and yellow buds, honeybees peacefully exchanging pollen. The green velvet grass reflects the pale light of day. A shadow is cast over the path as we continue. Land masses grow on both sides as we cut through the hills, announcing our arrival to the lower mountains.

"The air's so fresh!" Butterfly remarks. I pause to let her taste the crisp atmosphere. As she takes in the air and scenery, a medium sized mass flies into my back. The force of the impact sends me sprawling forwards, catching myself at the last second. I whip around. A cat sized lizard is hunched on the rocky ground, teeth barred on the offense. It stares at me with a peircing glare, hissing.

"Wh-what _is_ that?!" The butterfly stutters nervously. The lizard revs up, charging at my legs. I narrowly dodge, it's pointed fangs and unsheathed claws missing my legs by mere centimeters. My skirt doesn't serve much as efficient protection. Before it lunges again, I open my larger bag, pulling out my longsword. Brandishing it, I stare down at the reptile. The blade's silver polish reflects off the creature's beady eyes, daring it to come closer. As it does so, I swing the sword, slicing through the lizard's sinewy thigh. It screeches in distress, the bleeding gash coursing from his upper thigh into his ribs. I strike again, piercing it's upper chest. The reptile shrieks, collapsing to the ground. The dirt around it becomes tinted with red, it's blood pooling up as it wails out it's dying, labored breaths.

Butterfly flinches. "Is it... dead?" She perches on a nearby rock. I wipe off the tip of my sword with a cloth, shoving it back in my bag. I examine the creature.

"Yeah..." I trail off. "I'm just glad I had my sword with me." Butterfly remains silent at this. She seems disturbed by the carcass. Shaking her antenna, she lands on my shoulder. "We're almost there," she encourages, seemingly fine now. "Onward bound!"

We march on, my footsteps echoing off the rocky terrain. Castelian copper deposits jud out of the hazardous mountain base. The air now smells of metal, alerting hopeful miners of a rich treasure trove of raw material. The trail twists and turns up an incline, until eventually letting out downhill.

I sharply inhale. Instead of the jagged territory that we've been traversing through, a luscious green valley unfolds in front of us. A small pond calmly trickles, light reflecting off of it's crystaline waters. A single tree stands rigid next to it, vibrant red apples decorating it's leaves. Frogs hop around under it's branches with blissful glee.

Butterfly leaves my shoulder once more to observe the meadow. "It's gorgeous!" She flies over to skim across the pond. "I can see my reflection, it's so clear!" She flutters around the lake a few times as I scout out our surroundings.

"The dragon should be around here," I determine. "We should keep looking." My insect companion reluctantly leaves the water's side and joins me. She stares longingly at the fish swimming around the pond. I lead the way forward, leaving the spectacle behind. It's a short walk until we're met with a break in the path. An elevated land bridge connects the gap between the two land masses. I look down. The natural bridge sits at least forty feet above the ground. Anxiety begins to overtake me.

"We- we have to cross that?" I jitter nervously. "It doesn't look... stable." Butterfly displays a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"Elaide!" she scolds. "Of course, we have to cross it. You said the Napdragon's gonna be at a high altitude, right? That hill's one of the tallest peaks in the plains. That egg's got to be there!"

I inhale, trying to settle the bile rising in my throat. "At least you can fly." I test the durability of the dirt structure with my foot, sending rocks cascading down to the field below. Butterfly moves ahead of me, gracefully flying over the bridge. I swallow. _I hate heights._ Carefully, I take my first steps onto the bridge. A wave of nausea washes over me. I'm only inches away from falling to my death. I take another step, trying not to pay attention to the potential free fall on both sides. Once again, I take another step, moving farther away from the beggining. Another step. Another. I'm at the center of the bridge now, no point in turning back. Another step. Another step. Another. I reopen my eyes. Only one more step to go. My nerves begin to melt away. I take the last step, landing on the second hill.

Butterfly glitters and cheers me on. "Look, Elaide! You made it!" I slant my eyes at her. She returns my glare with a playful chuckle.

She looks around, breaking eye contact. Gasping, she motions to me. "What- what's that? That orange thing in the distance?" I turn to see what she's talking about, and almost shout in surprise. "That's the Napdragon!"

I unzip my bag in preparation, slinging it over one shoulder. I walk closer to the creature, keeping my footsteps silent. The dragon is laying on it's side, asleep, it's chest rising and falling peacefully. I've heard stories about how the Napdragon was always sleeping, but I thought they were all just tales. I never expected for them to be true. I peer around the dragon, trying to look for the egg without making any noise. My eyes connect with a white sphere, positioned behind the oversized reptile's tail. I hold back my urge to celebrate, and mentally size up the dragon egg. It looks to be just the right size to fit into my bag.

I crouch down, careful not to disturb the dragon. I sneak towards the egg, painfully slow, trying to stay aware of anything that could potentially make noise. I look over my shoulder and notice Butterfly trailing close behind.

As I get closer to the egg, I remove the bag from my back, clutching it to my chest as I crawl. I set the leather book bag on the ground, trying to pick up the enlarged egg. I wrap my arms around it, refusing to drop it. Butterfly lands on top of it's shell, as if she's attempting to lift it as well. I manage to wrangle the egg, shoving it into the bag. Butterfly resumes hovering as I latch the flap.

Grinning, I stand up, feeling accomplished. In the rush of excitement, I forget that my feet are right next to the dragon's tail. I step back, the heels of my shoes digging into the scaley tip of the creature's tail. I can feel my blood run cold. The dragon stirs, it's breathing getting heavier and more controlled. It's eyes shoot open, revealing dilated pupils.

"Shit!" I yell, securing my bag and taking a few steps back. The Napdragon, fully conscious now, reers it's head back and growls. Smoke spills out of it's nostrils with fiery rage.

"We've gotta go," I shout to Butterfly, panicking. The dragon snaps it's tail like a whip, sending trembles throughout the ground. I momentarily lose my balance, falling inches away from the edge of the hill. I'm grasping onto the bag, not letting the egg crack.

I stand up. The dragon guards the way we came, blocking us from any chance of escaping. My eyes dart around with worry, hoping for a way around the creature. The only other way off the hill is straight down, but the decline is a steep drop. Sharp rocks jud out of the sides, making for a risky fall. I study it, determining my chances of surviving the climb down. I swallow, my fear of heights consuming me again. The dragon continues to snarl behind me, making up my mind. I leap off the edge.

The wind catches my hair as I fall. I grab onto one of the jagged rocks, adjusting myself and the bag. I swing my feet, reaching another stone to stand on. I bend down, grabbing the rock with my hands and throwing my feet off of it. I take a risk, building enough momentum to jump onto another support directly diagonal of my current position. I safetly secure my grip. Looking around, I realize there aren't any nearby objects to grasp onto. I begin to panic again. The closest protrusion is a large stick a few yards down. I take a breath, calming my overly beating heart. Before I can psych myself out of it, I let myself fall, trying to aim myself towards the branch. My legs make contact with the bark, running scratches up and down the fronts of my legs. My fingers wrap around the stick, which is now patterned with my blood. I can see that I only have a few more meters to go. I make the jump to another rock, still not finding it safe enough to go all the way. I continue to lower myself from stone to stone, eventually making it safely to the bottom.

I pant and inspect the egg. To my relief, the shell is still in perfect condition. "Finally!"

I flinch in surprise, turning around. Butterfly giggles. "I've been waiting here for ages!"

I glare at her. "You have wings." She disregards my statement and lands on my shoulder. "What are we waiting for? Let's go deliver this egg!" Her yellow wings reflect pink in the late evening sun.

Bag in hand, I set off towards town.

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry for the delay, school's just been busy. Expect chapter 4 in about a week if all goes according to plan. Bye for now~**


	4. Chapter 4: The Psychic

**This is based off of a game called "Fantasy Life". I don't own the game, only Elaide. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Four: The Psychic

Elaide P.O.V.

I fling open my bedroom door, the city breeze hitting my face. I lace my fingers around the wooden rail of the porch, letting the wind blow around my jacket.

After delivering the egg to the old man, he was beyond thankful. He paid us graciously, weighing my satchel down with Dosh. Of course, being myself, I went to the market to spend it. I saved some for the future, obviously, but I worked hard to get that egg. I think I deserved to reward myself. I decided on purchasing a new outfit. My blouse and skirt were starting to look pretty worn- they were hand-me-downs, after all. I had purchased a dueling outfit, consisting of an orange shirt, brown jacket, and a vibrant red scarf. I bought a green plaid highland skirt to pair with it, as well. With some of the remaining money I hadn't set aside, I purchased a pair of brown lace up boots, perfect for traveling.

I turn and trail down the wooden stairs of the building, each plank cased with rot. The boards creak with every step. I land on the cobblestone, free of the hazardously rickety wood. I yawn and look around.

The normally busy streets are unusually barren. I begin to wonder what's wrong, but then quickly remember that the carnival is in town. I immediately sprout an idea.

"Hey, Butterfly?" I inquire, grabbing the attention of my companion. "D'you wanna go check out the carnival?" She shimmers, getting visibly excited.

"Of course! I love festivals!" she nearly shouts in my ear. In her rush of adrenaline, she attempts to drag me by the hand. Of course, being an insect, she doesn't get far. She sighs defeatedly, landing on my scarf. As she does so, I feel the charm that the elderly man gifted me dig into my chest. After hearing his revealing story, I feel too attached to it to throw it out.

The walk to the circus burns the flesh on my shins. A long bandage wraps around my legs, covering the bloodied scrapes and gashes I had acquired while escaping the Napdragon. My legs had been battered from the fall, jagged cuts running down my skin. Luckily, Pam gave me enough gauze to disguise the blood seeping out of each slash. The material is successful, still maintaining it's pearly white color.

A large purple and gold tent stands erected in the center of the Shopping District, drawing in citizens from all walks of life. The surrounding roads are silent, but cheers of joy and excitement erupt from the canvas. A small cluster of children and their parents herd around a lone jester, handing out decorative balloons. Each one is hand painted with incredible detail, displaying the royal family seal.

I pass by them, coming to a halt in front of the lavender sash. I fling open the heavy curtain. A large, extravagant chandelier hangs above the stage, casting a festive glow throughout the oversized tent. Carpeted seats line the walls in a stair-like formation, all facing a grand wooden platform. A gorgeous woman stands centerfold on the stage. Her body is draped in oriental fabrics, her luscious black hair hanging down in loose waves. Her strawberry lips part in the center, letting a melodious tune flow out. Masked men dance around the tent, greeting and exciting the patrons.

I take a step back, trying to digest the magnificent scene in front of me.

Butterfly shines gleefully as I slide into a seat. The rows are packed with a diverse range of people, from Castele natives to citizens from the far off regions of Port Puerto and Al Maajik. One family in particular sits in front of us, bathed in rich desert garb. They all chitter amusedly amongst themselves, but the child especially looks ecstatic, bouncing on his mother's lap. Butterfly does the same beside me, hovering, flapping her wings in harmony with the singer's rythym. The performer's voice is perfectly crisp, able to fluctuate her tone without flaw.

"I wish I could sing like that." Butterfly chirps dreamily. She belts out a few lines. "How'd I do?"

I laugh, attempting not to disturb the people around us. A few of them turn their heads to look at us, irritation on their faces. Butterfly apologizes sheepishly, and they all look back at the stage, muttering. The singer spills out a few more notes before taking a rest. She lopes off the platform, the viewers applauding her in an uproar of delight. She walks through the exit, leaving the adoring crowd behind. Their sights are now set on the masked men, currently dragging props onto the stage.

"I guess they're setting up for the next act." I glance at the group of men and women shuffling out of the tent. "We should go get lunch while we wait."

Butterfly agrees and lands on my jacket sleeve. I leap out of my seat onto the carpeted ground, merging with the mass of frenzied escapists. I push my way through them, managing to leave through the curtains. The sun warms my face as the crowd disperses, leaving my golden companion and I to absorb it's rays.

"Alfredo's Bistro sounds nice?" Butterfly suggests, eyes wide. I shrug and look in its direction. The restaurant in question sits in a row of small businesses, which cover an entire block of the Shopping District. The bistro is a quaint building, its sign wet from a fresh retouch of paint. The outside looks cozy, potted ivy growing off the windowsills. I walk up to it, wrenching open its wooden door. A bell greets us as we enter, alerting the man at the front counter.

"Hello!" he greets in a bellowing voice. "Welcome to Alfredo's Bistro! Let me show you to your table." He walks me over to a lone corner table, stools placed on either side. "I'll check back in a few minutes to take your order." He dips his head and goes to collect the dishes from another customer. I sit down, and Butterfly flies over to perch on the other side of the table. She peeks at the menu.

"This is pretty nice." She remarks, reading over the beverages. "What are you planning on ordering?"

I rest my chin in my hands, indecisive. "I'll probably just get whatever's cheapest. I spent a lot on clothes. What about you?"

She glitters. "I want sugar water. Do you think they have some? Most places don't serve any." She sighs.

"I'm pretty sure they'll get you some sugar water." I assure her. "It's not that hard to make. It's just regular water with some crystallized sugar cane." I beckon to the waiter.

"Have you decided on your meal?" the apron clad man asks me, quill and pad in hand. I peruse the menu, eyes landing in the 'appetizers' section.

"I'll take the carrot stew." I finally pick, looking over at Butterfly. "And a glass of sugar water."

He writes something down. "So, carrot stew and... sugar water?" he questions, sounding unsure.

I nod. "Sugar water."

He momentarily stares at me, stroking the feathered pen. "O-okay. I'll be right back with your order." He saunters off to the kitchen. I turn over to Butterfly.

"See? Easy." I taunt. She giggles and shimmers joyfully. We sit, talking for awhile.

"So," Butterfly begins, "do you think you'll ever change your Life?"

I shake my head. "Probably not. I don't see the point. I enjoy being a Paladin, at least, for now. I feel like a combat Life suits me best. And Mustang says I'm pretty good at fighting with a sword, too."

Our conversation comes to a halt as the server comes to deliver our food. He sets down a small bowl filled with an orange liquid and a glass of slightly translucent water.

He bows his head. "Enjoy your meal."

As he walks off, I slide the drink over to Butterfly. She quickly flies up and lands on the rim. She lowers her proboscis into the sweetened liquid. I stare at my own dish. The bowl's contents look more like soup than stew. It resembles watered down carrot purée instead of an actual meal. I drag my spoon through the substance. Lifting it out of the lukewarm stew, I raise the utensil to my lips, reluctantly sipping at the fluid. It tastes like metal, as if the ladle and pot coating had chipped off into the mixture. I hesitantly swallow.

"What do you wanna do after this?" Butterfly inquires, still enjoying her water.

I set my spoon back down, pushing the bowl away. "I guess we'll try the carnival again. They've probably finished setting up by now."

We sit for awhile longer, waiting for Butterfly to finish drinking. I twirl my spoon around in the orange liquid, unwilling to eat any. She takes only a few minutes to drain the glass dry. She claims her position on my neck as I stand. Slapping some Dosh on the table, I set out the door, the dishes and utensils all astray.

The sun is now passed the center of the sky, signaling if being around one o'clock in the afternoon. The circus tent and festivities cast a long shadow across the beige cobblestone. Content visitors stand around in groups, conversing gleefully.

We make our way up to the main enterance, cheers from inside bringing us closer. A nearby glint catches the corner of my eye. A decorative sign hangs above another, smaller tent, standing short next to the aforementioned structure. Its indigo fabric relaxes lazily over the base frame, fringed at the bottom. Its flaps wave freely in the wind.

I beckon to Butterfly. "What's that?" I look up at the sign. A single bubble-like shape is painted on the chipped, wooden plank.

"I didn't see that earlier." Butterfly ponders. "Maybe they just put it up? I mean, there's a sign, but... it's not really explanatory." She flies closer to examine it. "Should we go inside?"

"Of course." I scoff playfully.

Butterfly takes no time to dash in ahead of me, leaving a trail of glitz behind. For the few days I've known her, I've often wondered what exactly the glitz _is_. The most reasonable conclusion I've come to is that it's the same thing that gives her the ability to talk. Magic, I guess.

I slink after her, pulling open the purple tapestry of a door. The air around me immediately becomes stagnant and dust-filled. The room is poorly lit by a lone lantern, sitting atop a cluttered desk. Occupying the desk is a middle aged woman, robes sheltering her body and sweeping down to the floor. Her complexion is pale, trumping even my pasty skin tone. Her hair is pulled up in a messy purple bun, shadowing most of her brooding face.

"A human and a butterfly enter my emporium." She narrates, staring at her desk, not looking up. "A strange pair. Are they perhaps... here for insight? Yearning for the future? Seeking satiation?" She beckons to us. "Come closer, and I will reveal to you all you've ever wanted."

I fearfully glance at Butterfly, but she seemingly hasn't noticed me. I calm my nerves, hesitantly moving towards the supposed psychic. I sit down on a wooden stool parked in front of the cloth blanketed table. Now that I'm closer, I can clearly see each individual trinket clustering the desktop. The majority of the space is taken up by amulets, a few of them resembling my own charm. In the center of it all is an iconic crystal ball. Its base is golden, intricately carved with the finest details, tarnished by years of use. A transparent sphere rests on top of it, slightly foggy, reminiscent of a window during a snowy winter morning. Butterfly precautiously sits on the tablecloth right in front of it, staring into its misty reflection.

"So, uh, Miss... Fortune Teller," Butterfly leads, scrambling for words. "I guess we've come here for-"

"No, wait! Don't tell me!" The lady of mystery interrupts abruptly. She regathers her composure. "You've come here for a reading, I presume?" She chuckles. "Dearests, no need to look so shaken. I can tell. People come in here all the time to get a glance into their future. It's..." she snaps her fingers, "as easy as that. I can reveal to you your deepest wonders. And all for the measly price of ten Dosh.

Butterfly looks at me hopefully, and I defeatedly sigh. I reach into my satchel, grabbing some of my last spending money. I drop the coins into her readily open hand. She hungrily accepts it, tossing them into a basket behind her desk. She grazes the crystal ball with her hand.

"Sometimes I just get so lost in thought while staring at it." She muses, concentrating on the sphere. "It makes it easier to get predictions." She studies the globe intently, her eyes glossy with visions. The atmosphere becomes awkwardly quiet and still, the only disturbances being our jagged breaths.

The woman's face is pale, her head slightly nodding. She begins to emit a monotonous hum.

"A-ah," she muses. "I see- I see Lunares. Bright as usua- no, there's a large 'x' over it... oh, I see, it's beginning to darken now. Lunares is dark. Reveria is dark. There's a tower now. A tall golden tower. The only light is the dim rays cast from the top story. I can see inside it now. An extravagant parlor. The light is radiating from- from a woman. A beautiful woman, with celestial blonde hair down to her legs. She looks like-",

"The Goddess..." Butterfly breathes.

The psychic continues. "Yes. The Goddess, indeed. She's turning around now. She looks... distraught. O-oh! She's disappeared, taking the light with her. There's a woman behind her... on her knees. The parlor's gone now. She's kneeling in a wooded area, in front of a wooden cabin. I can see her clearly now. Her skin is fair, her hair a magnificent light chestnut. She's draped in a ratty green and black dress, coming down nearly to her ankles. Her neck is wrapped in a delicate lace choker. A few more women are in the back, cloaked in vagabond attire as well. Fire! I see fire now. It's everywhere. I- I can see words through the fire... 'f-find... find me... I'm here... follow the-",

She cuts off, snapping out of her daze.

"Follow the _what_?" I demand impatiently.

"I lost it." She replies abruptly. "I guess that's all the spirits want to reveal for now... but maybe I could pry more out of them, you know, at a cost..."

I roll my eyes and retighten my satchel. I stand up to take my leave, Butterfly reluctantly joining me. I pull my scarf in front of me.

"I guess I'll be on my way." I say as I watch the psychic grow a disgruntled look on her face. Her hands recede behind the desk.

"No worries. I'm sure you'll be back soon enough, your inner demons and intrigue clawing away at your thoughts, desperate to get the rest of the story. All common folk are like that. But, darling, do be cautious. You know what they say. _Curiosity killed the cat_." Her taunting eyes gaze eerily into my own.

I can feel my companion tugging at my jacket collar, trying to get my attention. I back out of the tent, the canvas door falling down heavily in front if me once we're safe outside.

"That was... an experience." I exhale, perplexed and slightly off put. Butterfly appears to be just as scattered as I. The orange afternoon magnifies the expression of wonder and yearning in her minuscule features. We begin to recite what the psychic had told us as we trot back to my aunt's house.

"She said that Lunares had an X over it, right?" Butterfly ponders out loud. "And the world was dark? I wish- I hope that was just a metaphor and not the actual future. And the celestial figure? That must be the Life Goddess! I mean, it has to be! Do you think that means we'll get to meet her? I do. That would be amazing! Could you imagine?"

Butterfly continues to ramble on about the Goddess, but I can't seem to focus on anything she's saying. I can't help but think about the second woman envisioned by the seer. _Fair skin. Chestnut hair_ It had to be my mother. Why else would the psychic see her? Of course, I'm not a believer in future telling. She's probably just a scam, making up stories to draw in unsuspecting patrons' money. I make myself drop the topic in general as soon as we arrive at Pam's.

Opening the upstairs door, Butterfly bolts in ahead of me. I walk in after her, the cuts on my shins still prominent under my bandages. She lets out a dreamy sigh as I shut the door.

"Haven't you ever wanted to see a meteor shower?" She asks out of the blue.

I shrug. "It's not on my bucket list, but I wouldn't mind watching one once or twice, I suppose."

"I can only imagine what it would look like." She continues, disregarding my reply completely. "It just sounds so amazing. It's like the Goddess is raining down upon Reveria, almost."

I lay back on my mattress, not wishing to undress into my night clothes. I listen to Butterfly's excited voice drone on about meteors, slowly lulling me to sleep.

 **I'm so sorry that this is a month late! I've just had so many projects and tests lately that I haven't had any time to write. As I type this, I'm actually supposed to be studying for my math final. I can't say exactly when the next chapter's going to be out, but I can assure you that it'll be in the next month sometime. Updates will become much more frequent during the summer, as I'll have more time to write, so look forward to that. Anyway, sorry again. Bye for now~**


	5. Chapter 5: Doomstones and Dragons

**This is based off of a game called "Fantasy Life". I don't own the game, only Elaide. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Five: Doomstones and Dragons

Elaide P.O.V.

 _CRASH!_

A godly rush of wind and force abruptly sends me whirling back towards the wall, slamming my head into one of the wooden beams. My eyes fly open, rudely and painfully awaken. Ceiling boards fall down from the roof, haphazardly astray across the floor. I cough as wood chips and dust float through the panic stricken air. The surrounding atmosphere becomes denser, filled with particles and smoke. My breathing becomes labored and jagged as I retreat from my crouching position and stand.

"Butterfly?" I shout, my voice hoarse. No response.

"Butterfly!?" I shout again, panic gripping me tightly. She still doesn't reply. _Maybe she's already outside._ I try to calm myself. I grasp my sword next to me and rush to the door, dodging fallen ceiling boards on my way.

I burst out into the open air, coughing as I do so. The fresh breeze consoles me, causing me to force open my eyes. I notice that a large group of people have congregated outside our house. I suddenly realize how thankful I am to have not changed out of my day clothes last night. Glancing around at the mass, my sight lands on a small, golden light. I exhale, relieved that Butterfly had made it out safely. I clamber down the staircase, into the mob of curious citizens below. Pam and Butterfly rush towards me.

"Elaide! I was so worried about you! That Doomstone just came out of nowhere! Are you sure you're ok?" Pam rambles out to me.

I peer at the roof. A dark crystal-like stone can be seen radiating through the smoke. I've only ever read of Doomstones in textbooks before, not ever having expected to see one in my lifetime. Doomstones are said to be peices of our galaxy, falling in on us. According to history, it had only happened once before, hundreds of years ago, when the Goddess was said to have died. But those were all just myths, of course.

"Yeah I'm... fine," I respond, still attempting to catch my bearings. "I can handle a _stone_."

Butterfly perches on her usual spot, my shoulder, gazing distantly at the Doomstone. She looks as if in deep thought.

"What's up?" I prod, curious about my friend's obvious concern. She lifts her head to look at me.

"That stone... it just gives me a weird feeling," she shakes her antennae anxiously. "But I guess it's just my nerves. I'm still wrapped up about everything that's happened in the past ten minutes, y'know?"

I nod solemnly, taking the hint. I turn to Pam. "Where-"

"Halt!" I flinch as an unexpected voice sounds from down the street. Everyone in the surrounding crowd turns, interests peaked. "Civilians, please, do remove yourselves from this scene!"

The mass of people clears out in front of me, revealing the source of the disturbance. A man, somewhere in his fifty's, stands arrogantly with his graying head held high. A small group of paladins are stationed behind him, ready to jump at his command. He points towards our roof, his green trench coat swaying slightly in the morning breeze.

"That. The Doomstone. I wish to confiscate it." He informs Pam and me. "Do be dears and excuse yourselves. My men must retrieve it."

I subtly scowl in his direction, tightening my grip around the hilt of my sword. Pam steps in front of me, putting her arms out as if to block me from hurting the man. "Go ahead Hughes, sir," Pam nods at him. "Our apologies." He brushes off her words and steps to the side, motioning for his soldiers to go forward.

"Don't look so cowardly!" He commands them, frustration written on his face. "Stop standing around and get the rock! We still have the one in the Plains to pick up, so start moving!"

"There's another Doomstone?!" Butterfly whispers to me, fluttering next to my ear. She looks off in the direction of the Plains excitedly. "Do you think we should-"

"Check it out?" I finish her sentence, debating on it. "Sounds like a plan." The insect seems to glow golden with anticipation as I smile to myself. _Hughes seems to really want to obtain those stones... I wonder what he's willing to pay for them._ This could be a great opportunity to get some quick cash.

I dash off after Butterfly, whom has already begun to head in the direction of the second stone. The stinging sensation in my leg wounds is still there, but not as prominent as it was the day I jumped off the hill. I ignore any remnants of pain as I run, letting the early morning breeze embrace my being, whipping my light brown curls behind me. It's not hard to catch up to Butterfly, as her wings aren't able to carry her as fast as my legs, but I continue anyway, rushing passed her.

I turn my head around while running, yelling in her direction. "Race ya!" I return my eyes to the path ahead of me as I hear her shout a reply. "That's not fair! You're faster!" She beats her yellow wings quickly, slightly flustered. I laugh, taking in the moment. We race on together, me being far in the lead, my friend attempting to keep up in the back.

My feet begin to slow, kicking up dirt and dust in the process. I come to a halt, exhaling. The beginning of the Plains sits in front of me, guarded by a row of trees. "I win!" I shout teasingly, Butterfly fluttering up near my arm.

She looks at me defeatedly, "Fine!" She laughs. "You're the superior competitor, and I am but a lowly insect who could only wish to be amongst your ranks! Forgive me, my lord, for I shall never be as good as-"

Butterfly's sarcastic rant is interrupted by a pair of footsteps quickly bounding across the bridge behind us. We turn around simultaneously, caught off guard by the sudden noise.

"Shi-" the source of the running pants, clearly panicked. "Don't- I wasn't here! You didn't see me!" The strange character darts behind a nearby tree. He looks to be near my age, around fifteen, maybe a bit younger. A blue denim cap sits upon his head, matching his trousers. A dark magenta coat is wrapped around his upper torso.

Butterfly and I linger there, speechless, glancing at the plant that the young man is currently sheltered by. This doesn't last long, as not soon after, another group of people come marching down the trail. I immediately recognize the man in the lead as my captain, Mustang. I raise my arm in a salute, still slightly struggling to comprehend what just happened.

The band of men continue on a few more steps before halting in front of us. Mustang looks at me for a second and then copies my signal of respect.

"Greetings, soldier!" He bellows, the paladins behind him flinching at his loud voice. "As much as I'd wish to take the time to catch up on your training, I'm a bit tied up at the moment. We're on a search for- actually, have you, by chance, seen a young... boy... run passed here? About your height, maybe a bit shorter? He should be wearing a magenta cap and coat. Any ideas?"

Butterfly and I share a quick glance over at the tree and back to each other. "No! Not at all!" I lie. "It's peaceful out here. Haven't even seen any animals today!" I finish my sentence, grinning up at him, nervously ringing my hands behind my back.

He looks at me for a second, gathering his thoughts, a glint of suspicion in his eyes. His large figure towers over me, casting a long shadow of darkness and intimidation along the path.

"Of course!" He laughs, finally breaking the silence, his voice shaking my core. I sigh with the upmost relief. He motions to his entourage and nods his head at me.

"Nice talking to you, soldier! I'd love to stay, but I must be on my way. Duty calls!" His golden armor gleams in the morning sun. Before I can wave him off, he and his men are already marching off back towards the town.

I exhale, relaxing my still tense muscles. Rubbing my neck, I look over to the tree. "You can come out."

The strange male emerges from his chosen hiding spot, brushing a leaf off of his hat. "They're gone?" He questions, still jittery. He peers around at the surrounding plant life to check for himself. Fully assured of his safety, he turns to look at us.

"Thanks for the help!" He smiles graciously, reaching his hand out to shake. I accept his notion, after which he immediately shoves his hands back into his coat pockets. "I thought I was dead meat for a second. To be quite honest, I probably would have been if it weren't for you."

Butterfly shimmers and takes an unoccupied spot on the top of my head. "I'm glad we could help, sir!" She raises her antennae in inquisition. "If you don't mind me asking, why were they after you?"

The boy shakes his head to rid himself of Butterfly's question. Pulling the cap far enough to cast a shadow over his crystal blue eyes, he changes to subject. "So, what brings you two out to the Plains on a day like today?"

I open my mouth to reply, but he quickly interrupts.

"No, no! Let me guess! I'm usually quite good at this kind of thing..." He slides his hands out of their respective pockets to rub them together, as if the friction would help him think faster. "I've got it! You're picking apples!"

I shake my head and attempt to answer yet again, but am met with him already spilling out his next guess.

"No? Perhaps you're..." He glances around, trying to come up with the next possible solution. "Gathering cotton! That's got to be it, right?"

I quickly take my chance to answer. "We're actually looking for the Doomstone." He turns his head back to look at me, my words registering in his mind. He shoots his eyes downward, staring at the ground.

"I- already knew that." He looks back up at us sheepishly. "I heard your conversation back at town square. I'm actually out here to fetch it myself." I can sense his nervousness leaving and a new idea taking its place. "Wait! He exclaims excitedly, signaling his rejuvenated train of thought. "We could search for it together! Yeah! That could work! We could be an adventuring trio, like... like the Three Musketeers!" He smiles at me, awaiting a response.

I covertly groan, not wanting to deal with an extra person tagging along. It took me a while to get used to Butterfly's presence, and she's a damn insect. A human would take twice as long to adjust to.

"No, I think we'll be fine. A duo's good enough." I inform him, beginning to walk off towards the Plains. He deflates behind me, defeatedly staring down at his shoes yet again. I can feel Butterfly become agitated from above.

"Elaide!" She whines, clearly wanting the rogue traveler to join our party. "It's only one time! Come on! It's not gonna hurt anything..."

I ignore her begging and continue walking. She grunts and flaps her wings. "Fine..." I can feel her leaving my scalp as she says so, fluttering over to the male figure. I quickly stop progressing towards the flora and turn around. She's saying something to the boy, and although I can't hear her, I already know what she's telling him.

"Dammit, Butterfly!" I pout as the two of them come over to me, one on the ground and one in the air. She attaches herself to my scarf, a teasing aura about her. The teenage male, mood inflated once more, takes his place in the lead, dashing towards our destination. "Onward!"

We make our way through the growth quickly and efficiently, the only interaction being Butterfly's singing. Her lone voice alerts birds and small wildlife of our arrival to the Plains. The robins and crows above us sing along, squawking and chirping with glee. This continues for only a minute longer, with Butterfly stopping abruptly as soon as our path open up into miles of sun and grass.

"We're here!" She shouts, our new partner cheering from in front of us. Butterfly detaches herself from my red scarf and flies in between the blue-capped form. "So," she asks him, "where exactly is this stone supposed to be?"

He scratches the back of his head, squinting his eyes in thought. "I'm not sure. All I know is that it's here." He wrings his fingers. "I guess we could ask some of the guards. They're bound to know something."

I nod my head in agreement and point to an armor-clad man stationed a few yards from us. "He's a good start." We casually walk across the declining trail over to him, leaning exhaustedly against a flagpole.

"Salutations, citizens. How may I be of your service?" He inquires, taking a short break in between sentences to fit in a yawn. "Good morning, sir!" Butterfly returns his greeting. "Sorry to be a bother, but have you heard anything about a Doomstone landing around here?"

The soldier takes a second to gather his thoughts, trying to recollect any memories revolving around a Doomstone sighting. "Actually, I did get word that a Doomstone had landed somewhere near the western watchtower. Is that what you're referring to?"

Butterfly shimmers with delight, leaving me to translate her signal into words. "Yes, that's precisely what we were thinking about. Thanks for the assistance." I salute the man and motion for the rest of the group to follow me towards the watchtower. Butterfly resumes her spot on my chest, while the mysterious third member takes the spot behind me. As we try to walk away, the paladin grabs the boy by the arm.

"You look awfully familiar... Don't I know you from somewhere?" He asks, trailing off in deep thought. I can see the newest member of our trio tense up, blood quickly leaving his face. "N-no, I- I don't recall ever meeting you before... I'm- I'm from Port Puerto!"

The guard loosens his grip from the teenager, allowing him to quickly break away. He returns to leaning against the flagpole, its Castelian fabric cushioning his helmet. "Must just be my imagination, then."

The pale boy exhales anxiously and walks on the other side of me, using me as a barrier between him and the paladin. I can sense his eyes on the back of my neck as he watches our group progress towards the aforementioned place of interest. Once we're out of sight, the panicked male finally relaxes.

"That was intense." Butterfly laughs awkwardly, attempting to lighten the mood. "I mean, the way he said it, too, it was like he was about to solve one of the world's longest running mysteries. But it was just a stupid coincidence, no need to cling on to it."

The young man halfheartedly returns her laugh, nervously scratching his hand. "Yeah... coincidence..." He shakes off the occurrence and resumes his adventurous demeanor. "Well, what are we waiting for? Come on!" He charges off towards the stone, motioning for us to follow. Butterfly perches on my scarf once more, the charm underneath pressing into my skin. My breath catches in my throat for a second, momentarily surprised. I had forgotten that it was still there. I'm not sure why I haven't gotten used to it yet, as I haven't taken it off since I got it.

Butterfly seems to get impatient. "What are you waiting for? Ride, beast!" She laughs, treating me like a stallion.

"You only wish you were good enough to hold the reigns of my precious hide!" I play along teasingly, dashing off after the strange boy. Our footsteps mingle with the tiny hooves and paws of all the plain dwellers grazing nearby. Insects flutter around gracefully, pollinating the vibrant plant life and pestering the unsuspecting animals. The sky seems to open up and shine a spotlight on the peaceful wildlife.

My thoughts of tranquility shatter as we reach a small station of soldiers patrolling around a rickety wooden structure. The western watchtower. _But where's the Doomstone?_ I brush my hair back with my fingers, looking around. The boy seems to share my concern and walks over to confront one of the armed men.

"Hello, sir?" The young man prods, trying to get the paladin's attention. No reply. He tries again. "Sir?!" Still nothing. He pulls the man's helmet up, just enough to reveal his eyes. Sure enough, they're closed.

"How the hell did he fall asleep _standing up?_ " He groans, perplexed, frustration written on his face. He places both of his hands on the sleeping figure's shoulders. "WAKE UP!" He shouts, shaking the subject vigorously. His previously shut eyes shoot open, his mouth gasping in surprise.

"Prin- o-oh? You're not- I could have sworn I heard- N-never mind!" The now awake soldier stutters out, disoriented. "Who- what do you want?"

The new addition to our band crosses his arms, slightly flustered. "We've gotten word that a Doomstone has landed in this area. Any ideas?"

Raising his hand up at a one hundred eighty degree angle, the man points across a nearby bridge. "Yeah, it should be somewhere over there." He scratches his chin with his other hand. "There's a guard supposed to be watching it. He should be able to help you with anything you need."

 _Shit. There's a guard? How the hell am I supposed to steal it now?_ The boy nods at the soldier and walks off, me following close behind. Butterfly yells behind us at the lethargic man, already beginning to doze off again. "Thanks for the help!"

He looks up, surprised. "Wha- who said that?!" I laugh along with Butterfly, amused at his confusion. We turn our attention back into the journey at hand as my feet trot across the bridge, hardened by old age and wear. The stream below trickles along with the fish that inhabit its crystal blue waters, reflecting our likenesses back at us. The bridge opens up onto a dirt trail, leaving behind the serenity of the water.

"Hey, look at that!" Butterfly suddenly shouts, flying off of my scarf. She gravitates toward an indentation in the ground. I walk over to where she's currently hovering.

I look down at what she found, expecting it to be the Doomstone. Much to my dismay and horror, it's a hole in the shape of a person. "I don't think that's the Doomstone crater..." I inform her, taking in the mark. Behind us, the blue-capped boy runs up to the indent in question.

"Hey guys, I think I found- what the hell is that?!" He yells, alarmed. "How did that happen? Did someone..." he looks up at the sky above. "Did someone fall from a tree or something?" I shrug, just as confused as he.

"Anyway," he changes the subject, "I think I found the _actual_ Doomstone crater." He points to a fenced off location, a paladin standing in close proximity of it. We walk up to it and lean over the wooden fence.

"It's great that you found the ditch and all," I tell the boy, slightly frustrated. "But it's kind of missing the _Doomstone_." I see him get flustered out of the corner of my eye. "I can see that!" He responds, trying to prevent himself from shouting.

As soon as he finishes his sentence, the guard comes up to us. "Hey, what're you doing here?" He questions us suspiciously.

I feel cold sweat begin to form on the back of my neck. "We're- uh..." I begin, stumbling over my words nervously. "We're just checking-"

"Soldier!"

Everyone turns around to get a look at whomever just yelled. I realize that it's the same man from earlier, Hughes, I believe, and a band of paladins. I sigh with relief, thankful that the guard's attention is no longer concentrated on us.

Hughes places his hands in his trench coat pockets as he speaks. "Good sir! We've come to collect the Doomstone!" He steps aside expectantly for his men to walk forward and excavate the stone. They move towards the hole, only to peer over the fence at nothing. "But sir, there's no stone in sight!"

Hughes' eyes shoot open as he nearly chokes on the air currently occupying his windpipe. "No stone?!" He looks over at the guard furiously. "Whatever happened?!"

The soldier in question immediately flushes red, his eyes agape in shock. "What- what do you mean?! Your men already picked it up- they claimed to be under your tutelage?" Hughes visually becomes more irritable as he approaches the nervous man.

"My men?!" He growls, staring down at the paladin furiously. "No one's been under my tutelage for years! Describe these crooks to me!"

Blushing with fear, the armored figure attempts to croak out a response. "Th-they- one was- one was tall and... strongly built, with- he had a blonde quaff and g-goatee. The second- the other one was short and kind of- he was scruffy, and- and he was dressed relatively like a vendor. O-oh sir! Please- please forgive me!" The man gets down and kneels, begging the older scholar. "Forgive my idiocy and irresponsibility! I didn't- I should have known! I should have waited to receive your official approval! I shouldn't have trusted them! Oh, sir! Please have mercy!"

Hughes looks down at the pleading man and scoffs, placing his hands on his hips. "Get up, fool! You look ridiculous down there!" He commands, allowing the guard to regain his footing. "Now that that's over and done with," the scientist pressures him. "Where did they take that stone?!"

Too nervous to speak properly, the soldier points over the bridge we had just crossed. "I- I saw them depart into the Plains! I didn't feel the need to pay attention, considering they said they were going to take it to your studies!"

Hughes groans, placing a hand over his face. "Joy! They could be _anywhere_ by now!" He turns towards his men. "Soldiers! Search the Plains for two men and a stone! Leave no place unchecked!" He returns his attention to the stuttering paladin as his own men retreat into the fields. "As for _you_..." he adjusts his shirt collar as he speaks. "Report to the guards stationed around town, as well as those in the Hold. Tell them to keep an eye out for the men of your description." He nods, eager to escape Hughes wrath. The scholar turns to leave after the anxious male, paying no mind to the three of us.

I play with my tight, caramel curls, brushing them off of my brown dueler jacket before the wind chooses to move them back. _That sucks_. Pessimistic thoughts swirl around in my mind, my frown serving as a physical manifestation of what I'm thinking. _That busts my plans on getting rich today. I guess I'm not the only one that thought this would be a great opportunity to get paid._ The young male beside me sighs and adjusts his hat, causing Butterfly to gleam underneath my chin.

"Guys!" she erupts, trying to amp up her discouraged party. "Don't be like that! We still have a chance to get a look at the stone!" The boy looks over at her as she leaves behind the solace of the fabric around my neck.

"And how would we do that?" He asks, slowly catching wind of her plan.

Butterfly flies over to him and perches on his shoulder instead of mine. "Easy! We'll find it before Hughes and his men do! We can even catch the thieves! We'd be heroes!"

I take the chance to shout my agreements, although my motive for doing so is different from theirs. "Yeah! It'll be easy! We can just search around the areas that the paladins haven't hit yet. The Plains are big and all, but there aren't too many good hiding spots." The boy takes in both of our comments to think about it for a minute. He takes a second to fix the buttons on his coat before jumping up excitedly.

"Adventure!" He shouts, darting off across the bridge. Butterfly remains on his shoulder, leaving me behind.

"Sh- wait up!" I yell after them, trying to prevent myself from tripping over my lace-up boots as I run after them. They lead me over to a patch of grass shadowed below a lone tree, surrounded by a few bell shaped flowers. The young male's eyes dart around the scenery around us.

"Where do we start?" He asks no one in particular, overwhelmed by all the possible choices. I look around myself, taking note of the encroaching guards, each one on their own individual search. I try to take in all the spots that remain untouched by the Castelian knights.

"How about over there?" I suggest, pointing at the general area to our right. I specifically aim my finger towards a well hidden patch of land, shadowed by a cluster of trees. No paladins are paying any attention to it, so it seems like a safe bet.

The young male inspects the shrouded spectacle from afar, weighing the options. He nods, satisfied with my suggestion. "Looks like a good start." He agrees, eagerly marching off in its direction, me following not for behind. The walk is short and swift, an exciting aura of adventure hanging silently in the air. It acts like a magnet, drawing us towards our destination of interest. As we get nearer, the trees' long bodies block out the overbearing sun. We notice yet another bridge pitched across a minuscule stream, leading to what looks to be a cave.

We stare at the cave in unison, sharing the same thought. The stone is sure to be there. Where else would someone hide a priceless artifact in miles of barren grass? Eager to get closer, I gaze down, noticing the poor condition of the wooden bridge. Each beam seems to carry more rot the closer they sit near the cave. I take a few steps forward, placing my feet on the first board. I look back at the young man, Butterfly still glittering on his shoulder.

"The wood's rotting through," I warn him, carefully adjusting my balance. "I'll go first. Follow my exact steps when I reach the other side." I watch him nod as I turn back around, concentrating on the task at hand. _Unless I fall._ I think, finishing what I was saying in my head.

I reach my right foot in front of me, placing it lightly on the next beam, squinting my eyes as if that would protect me from falling through the old wood. To my relief, the bridge remains stable. I quickly move my left foot over to meet my right. I open my eyes again, preparing for my next move.

With confidence this time, I kick my leg out with more force, choosing to skip one board entirely. I land on the halfway point, my other leg catching up with me. I stumble slightly, grasping onto the fraying rope beside me. My nerves calm, allowing me to concentrate once more. Repeating my recent action for the next move, I swing myself forward again, skipping yet another plank. I catch my bearings, recovering quicker than last time.

I observe my progress, noticing that there's only two more boards to go. Expectantly, I take a wide step across to the finally step, excitedly setting my right foot on it's wooden surface. To my surprise and horror, I hear a couple of consecutive cracks, feeling my foot begin to sink down into the wood. The beam gives, sending my leg dangerous near the water below. Although the body is only a creek, I still feel a bit apprehensive towards getting my entire body and outfit soaked, along with my sword and anything that is clinging to the inside of my pouch.

Panicking, I slide my left foot over to the second to last board, using it as leverage to pull my falling limb back up. I grab the rope to my right with one hand, while gripping tightly to the moist wood of the bridge. Haphazardly, I pull my leg up, my boot being the only part of me unfortunate enough to touch the water. I pant, pushing my hair back with my free hand, my other being occupied on my hip.

Still jittery, I take a moment before taking the final leap onto the grass across the newfound gap. The bottoms of my shoes, one dry and one slightly damp, make contact with the grassy terrain. My hands grip at the leafy blades, allowing me to catch my balance and insuring that I don't fall back into the stream. Once fully aware of my position, I stand up to face back at my partners.

The blue-capped male exhales with relief. "Bloody hell!" He shouts over to me, concerned. "Are you okay?"

I nod my head, overcoming my fluctuating heart rate. "Yeah, I'm good. Just..." I look down at the rotten planks. "Just take the exact steps I took. Avoid _any_ dark spots. Got it?" His eyes linger on mine for a second before Butterfly lifts off his shoulder and levitates in front of him. She flutters out a few steps and lingers above the halfway point of the bridge.

"C'mon!" The insect optimisticly coaches the young man. "The Doomstone won't find itself!" She gleams cheerfully as he takes his first calculated step onto the bridge. Remembering my own steps, he carefully skips across the mapped out path. With Butterfly in the lead, he quickly meets up with me on the other side.

"Beat you!" He shouts teasingly, crossing his arms. "In half your time!"

I roll my eyes, flicking him off momentarily. "Congratulations. You're _welcome_ for showing you _how to get across_."

He laughs it off, changing his attention to a small wooden sign pegged into the ground in front of the cave. He stares at it with confusion, drawing my interest to it as well. "What the hell is that?" He inquires as he cautiously walks over to it. I follow him curiously as I feel Butterfly trade out the boy's shoulder for my own. I halt at where the male is currently kneeling in front of the handcrafted board.

I take a look at it myself, noticing the poorly painted image of a buff blonde figure, finished off with a construction hat. _Pierre_. I think, comparing the uncanny likeness of the picture to the infamous con man. _That matches the paladin's description, too! The brothers are behind this. I should have guessed._ I notice a message written in black ink, almost indecipherable from the poor penmanship. The boy traces his fingers over the writing, struggling to read it as well.

"I think," he murmurs, attempting to understand the scribbles, "I think I know what it says- although I must say, this handwriting is terrible. I can only make out a few words but... it's something along the lines of 'the Doomstone isn't here.'? But that can't be it, right? No one could be that brain dead."

I shake my head, my hypothesis being proven right. "No, that's what it says. Unfortunately, there are people that could be that clueless. Pierre and Butch. They've got to be the culprits. They fit what the guard said back at the crater, and they're the only people in Castele that would be able to make that sign with a straight face." I grab the hilt of my sword from my belt, preparing for what lay ahead. I nod my head towards the cave. "The Doomstone's got to be in there. To be completely honest, I wouldn't put it past then to leave it right at the entrance without anyone watching it."

The young man gives me a confused stare while Butterfly laughs from below my jaw.

"I-I can picture it now!" She sputters out between giggles. I covertly grin down at her, still gripping my sword. The male shrugs it off steps towards the cave entrance.

He places his hand on his dagger valiantly. "Whoever it is, we're gonna take it from them." He shouts before bolting in through the rocky opening. I flatten my green plaid skirt to my legs before dashing off into the unknown after him.

As soon as I leave the open fields in exchange for the dampened walls of the cave, the musty atmosphere immediately embraces me. The cool breeze of the outdoors leaves us at the entrance, its absence being replaced by stagnant humidity. The air around the three of us is laced with the smell of wet mud and old earth. The boy in front of me pulls his hat up only enough to uncover most of his forehead, as if to cling on to any remnants of a cool breeze.

"It's so sticky in here!" He complains while rolling the sleeves up on his coat. "Let's just hurry up and find this Doomstone." I nod my head in agreement and look around.

"Apparently they were smart enough to actually hide it." I conclude, pushing a stray curl behind my ear. "There's not much of a place to hide it though. This isn't a very big cave. The only places we could really look are behind rocks and..." I point at a distilled pond to my side. "in there." I stroke the charm from underneath my scarf by habit, suddenly hearing a random thought procure in my head.

 _Downstairs..._

I snap my head up, my eyes searching around the area to see if anyone whispered in my ear. I peer down at my shoulder to check if Butterfly was the culprit. Noticing that she is gone, I realize that she had apparently flown off to go talk to her new friend. _Who the hell said that?_ I sigh. _I'm probably just hearing things. It's been a long day. There isn't even a downstairs here to begin with. It's a small cave. I guess the sign was right. There might not be a Doomstone here. It was just a random thought._ _But what if..._

I walk forward, leaving my two partners to talk amongst themselves. I trace my hand against the rock wall in front of me. I lead my self into the corners of the room, unreached by light and bathed in the mysterious depths of the shadows. My hand breaks off from the smooth rock, being sent forward into an apparent opening. I jump back in surprise, not expecting there to be a hole.

"What...?" I kneel down, moving my fingers down the opening all the way to the floor. _It's a doorway..._ I stand back up, carefully inching my feet into the opening. I take a small step, holding my arms in front of me. I don't run into anything, confirming that there is a path.

"Butterfly!" I shout back to the two of them, getting their attention. The insect of interest turns her back to the boy and stares over in my direction.

"Elaide-!" She returns my call, taking a second to locate me in the dark. "Why- what are you doing?" Her glowing aura brightens momentarily with inquiry.

I brush past her question and beckon for her to join me. "Come over here a minute, will you?" I stand in the rocky frame of the opening, embraced by shadows while Butterfly casually flutters over to my location. Her warm golden glow illuminates the dark corner.

"What do you-" she begins to ask, but stops herself as she notices the darkened frame I currently stand in. She seems to connect what I'm trying to ask her to do. "Y-you don't want me to fly down there... do you?" She flicks her antennae nervously.

I sigh somewhat impatiently. "C'mon, Butterfly! It's not like it's gonna _kill_ you or anything. And besides, you're the only one who can actually see in there. You're like a walking- er, _flying_ lantern." I look at her hopefully, awaiting a response.

She peers at the hole apprehensively, still slightly unwilling to brave the unknown. I step closer to her, attempting to amp up her sense of adventure. "The Doomstone's got to be down there! Remember how excited you were when we first set off to find it? It's just within our reach now. Are you really gonna let that go to waste? You have to be the one to lead us!" I finish my speech, wondering if it'll work.

The insect gazes at me, flapping her wings with a newfound confidence. If butterflies could smile, I feel like she would be right now. "You got me there, Elaide." She turns from me to over at the young man, who has been standing behind us silently for the past few minutes. "Come on, let's go find the Doomstone!"

She flutters into the darkness, her courage renewed. As she enters the tunnel, the black shadows around her are broken by her golden aura. The light burns strongest directly around her figure and gradually grows fainter as it stretches towards the walls. Despite this, she still casts a pale glow on the rocky surfaces surrounding her. I flick my eyes downwards at the floor of the opening. To my surprise and amazement, a hand-carved flight of stairs retreat deeper into the ground, lit up by Butterfly's weak light.

 _Didn't the voice I heard say "downstairs"?_ I form the question in my head, slightly on edge. I rub my forehead with the palm of my hand, pushing my stray hairs back in the process. I shake it off, pushing the thought out of my mind. _I'm just hearing things._

Butterfly laughs joyfully as I notion for the boy to follow me. I place my boot on the first step, following it up with my other foot. Small rocks and pebbles cascade down a few steps as I lower myself. Butterfly lingers a couple feet in front of me while the male casually stands safely on the ground behind me. My legs carry me down further into the depths, arriving to where the insect hovers above the stairs.

"Watch your step." I warn the teenager behind me, preparing to take his first move onto the staircase. He nods. Satisfied with my minimal effort clueing him in on the hazards of the sketchy, unused steps, I turn back around and focus on my own trip into the unknown. Butterfly doesn't wait up, flying forward and letting the shadows fall back into my face. I casually progress down the decline, following her bioluminescence. I hear the male's pace quicken, not wanting to be left behind in the dark. I place my hand on the wall closest to me as I walk, feeling the cool, damp rock on my flesh.

I see the light freeze in place, signaling to us that Butterfly had halted. I rush up to her, closing the distance between us. I wait for her to continue flying forward, but to no avail.

"What is it?" I ask her, confused at to why she stopped. She looks at me, her small eyes reflecting her luminous glow.

"It's a dead end." She replies swiftly as she moves forward a few inches, allowing herself to cast her golden light upon a rock wall in front of us. The steps cease as well, letting out into a flat surface of a floor. I cross my arms, disappointment written on my face.

"So, that's it then?" The boy asks, coming up behind us. "There's nothing down here?" Butterfly takes in his questions, sharing his confusion. She flutters away from the wall, over to the left where he stands. Her glow moves along with her, letting the blockage be consumed by shadows once more. Instead, the light falls uptown the left wall of the tunnel, exposing yet another opening.

I uncross my arms, a new hope rising in my chest. I dash over to it, my footsteps echoing through the cavern. I peer through the hole, noticing the faint glow of daylight escaping from it. I take a few steps inward, noticing the light grow stronger as I progress.

"Guys!" I shout at them from the second tunnel. "Look what I found!" I hear a pair of feet shuffle forward, accompanied by an orb of golden light. The young man and the insect stare at my discovery from around the corner, their excitement refilled.

"I knew there had to be something!" The boy erupts, racing off the join me, Butterfly not far behind. I place my hands on my waist, walking in the direction of the light, taking my rightful place in the lead. My companions follow, eager to find what we came for. Her light no longer needed, Butterfly huffs.

"How the hell did I not see that?" I hear her mutter under her breath, securing her position next to the teenage male's arm. I rush slightly ahead of them, excited to finally get my hands on the Doomstone. The daylight shines through the tunnel, illuminating our journey. In front of me, I notice that the staircase takes a sharp turn to the side, creating a ledge to look over at the center of the cave. My breath catches in my throat as I take in what I'm looking at.

Below where we stand sits a breathtaking grotto. The holes in the ceiling shed precious light across a plaza of grass, contrasting the dull stone we've been staring at for the past thirty minutes. A sparkling stream surrounds the grassy center like a moat, with two bridges leading across it. The water itself is surrounded by brown rock, eons different from the glittering green plantlife on the other side. But the most astonishing of the entire view is the hefty purple stone visible from where we stand.

"There it is!" I shot to my peers, pointing at the Doomstone laying in the grass. "We found it!" They stroll up behind me, bathing in the view just as I had.

"Well, come on, guys!" Butterfly shouts, finished with digesting the scene. "Let's get going before Pierre and Butch get ba-"

"Something's wrong with Chompy, bro!" A gruff voice suddenly interrupts the insect, redrawing our attention to the grassy center. Two figures are now racing out of a large rock formation near the stone, rushing past it to the bridge nearest to us. Getting a closer look, I come to the safe conclusion that it's Pierre and Butch, Butch being the speaker. Setting my attention back to the sub-cavern, I notice a third, much smaller figure following them at a distance. It appears to be about the size of a dog, notably the same color as the Doomstone itself.

"That- that _thing_ tried to eat me!" I hear Pierre yell, visually anxious about the approaching creature. "I don't trust it!"

Butch stares at his partner, personally offended. "D-don't say that about Chompy, bro! It's not his fault! He's... he's just sick!"

Pierre crosses his arms, towering over the shorter man. "That's not Chompy! There's something wrong with him! And I don't intend to get killed by an infant dragon, no matter what may be plaguing him!" With that, Pierre turns to make a run for it, dashing up the stairs.

"Bro!" Butch shouts, chasing after him. "We can't just leave him! And we can't leave the Doomstone, either! What about Hughes?!"

They fly up the stairs, one in front of the other, quickly nearing our trio. Pierre is the first to nearly knock on of us down, quickly coming to a halt a foot away from me. His face appears clearly frustrated, even more so when Butch comes crashing into his back.

"Bro! What are you-" The shorter man begins to ask, but quickly stops when he sees us. "Oh..." He shoves his thumbs in his pockets, exhaling deeply.

The young man behind me speaks up, reminding me of his presence. He addresses the two older men confidently, his arms crossed. "Alright, thieves!" The boy begins, his voice laced with authority. "We _know_ you stole the Doomstone, no matter what your sign may say! Now, move over so we can attain it! We will not hesitate to report you if you put up a fight!"

Pierre shakes his head, looking over at the stone. "Never mind that!" He shouts, stress hanging over him like a shadow. "My brother's dragon is- is a little hell beast! It tried to eat me! You don't have to worry about me in your way, I'm getting the hell out of here! Save yourselves!"

Butch grasps onto his counterpart's shirt, desperately trying to stop him from running. "No! It's not Chompy's fault! He- he's _possessed,_ or- or there's just something wrong with him! P-please!" He looks at the three of us, concern ever present in his eyes. "Please, try to help him!"

I avert my eyes over to where the dragon lay confusedly still, wondering in vain as to where his two targets had dashed off to. I turn back to the thieves, an apprehensive expression on my face. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea," I tell them, scratching the back of my head. "I mean, we're really just here for the Doomstone. Your pet's not our problem."

Butterfly steals a disapproving glance my way, clearly eager to help anyone in need. "Of course we'll help!" She informs them cheerfully. I scowl at her and then at the two grown men, apathy and unwillingness swirling around in my head.

I groan, placing my free palm on my forehead, the other still firmly resting on the sword. "Fine. We'll help, but on _one_ condition. We save your reptile, and in return, you give us the Doomstone. Deal?"

The two sweat drenched men nod, Pierre more reluctant than the other. Butch pulls his brother aside, pointing down the stairs. "Please, just don't hurt him?" He begs, referring to the dragon. It must be really special to him if he's this worried about it. I guess I would be just as wrapped up if Butterfly was in any sort of danger. I was pretty anxious when I couldn't find her this morning. It's so funny how someone can get so attached to another, even in a matter of mere days.

The other two members of my party enthusiastically sound their agreement, while I stand there motionless. I can't make any promises. I guess I _could_ try to not fight that... that _creature_ , but if that little bitch tries anything, it's getting a sword to the flank.

The two men are completely flat against the wall of the cave, giving the three of us plenty of room to move forward. I empty my mind, mentally preparing myself for the task at hand. I can feel my peers do the same behind me, although they are clearly looking forward to this more than I. Not caring whether I'm ready or not, I rocket off down the stairs, sensing my friends in tow. The stretch of steps only lasts a short few seconds, the light from the top of the cave shining fully bright upon us. Our feet skip down the rock ledges, our lone footsteps creating a symphony of echoes around the structure.

We abruptly stop, having reached the rocky floor. The stream trickles a few feet in front of us, that and its bridge being the only things separating us from both the beast and the treasure. The monster in question can be clearly seen from our position, idly pacing around the sickly purple stone.

"Are you guys ready for this?" The boy behind me asks, his voice cracking ever so slightly as he speaks. I shrug, my eyes trained on the scene ahead.

"To battle a dragon?" I reply sarcastically as I pull the sword out in front of me. "Last time I encountered one, it didn't take to kindly to my visit." I peer down at the scabbing cuts on my lefs. "Then again, I did kind of steak its egg. But never mind that. Let's just fight the bag of scales and take off with the Doomstone." I align my vision back ahead of me, trying not to let my nerves get to me.

I mentally remind myself that the two of them don't know of my intention to sell the stone back to Hughes for Dosh, much like the two brothers were doing, except successfully. I push the thought to the back of my mind, deciding to cross that path when we get there. Besides, they must have their own reasons to want to find the Doomstone. I know Butterfly's is to just get a look at it, but I'm not sure about the newcomer's. He hasn't revealed much about himself. Hell, he hasn't even revealed his name. I've just been referring to him as "the boy" in my head. At least I haven't had to address him in a situation that would require a title, such as writing about him. I can only imagine how hard it would be for a writer to refer to a nameless character, having to call them "the young male", "the blue-capped boy", and other such descriptions for the entirety of the excerpt. Such pity.

Realizing that I temporarily got lost in my thoughts, I get back to the mission at hand. Without saying another word, I charge ahead, making a beeline across the rickety bridge. I turn my head around momentarily, motioning for my partners to do the same. Sword drawn, my shoes make contact with the soft grass, suddenly reminding me what it's like to not travel over hard rock. I slow down my speed, eventually stopping to let the rest of the trip catch up. The teenage boy rushes up behind me, brandishing his silver dagger confidently. Butterfly finishes up in third, hovering over my head upon arrival.

"What's our first move?" She asks curiously, all of eyes our eyes fixed on the small dragon. Fortunately for us, it seems unaware of our presence for the time being, giving us time to formulate a plan. I focus on the reptile, getting a closer look at its appearance. Although I've never seen one before, it appears to look like what I would think a standard baby dragon should resemble, excluding its odd hide. Instead of a normal scale pattern, it seems to be covered in a swamp like mist, dark gas leaking off its skin like smoke. The most concerning of the whole thing, though, is the fact that it's remarkably the same color as the Doomstone. Not just are they the same shade, but the Doomstone is seemingly excreting the same cloudy substance, even pulsating at the same rate as the reptile.

"I'd hate to jump to a conclusion," I whisper towards my party, beginning to hold my sword a bit higher in front of me. "But I think the Doomstone might be influencing... 'Skippy', or whatever its name is. Point is, the dragon is glowing exactly as the stone is."

"Chompy," the male corrects me. "I can see your point, but even if it's true, how would that help us?" I deadpan at him, not caring about what Butch refers to the beast as. But in reference to what he asked, I have no idea. I still say that we just take the rock and run, but I know they wouldn't agree to that. Although, to be honest, I'm not sure if I really care whether they disagree or not. Before I can actually answer his question, though, Butterfly cuts in.

"We could break it!" She exlains, as if divine inspiration struck her. "We could break the stone! I'm not sure it'll work, of course, but it would make sense! If it really is the Doomstone that's possessing Chompy, then breaking it should shatter any influence it has! Right?"

The boy stares at the insect for a few seconds, before breaking out into a large smile. "Butterfly, that's genius!" He claps silently, still conscious of the knife in his grasp. "If you had hands right now, I would totally be high fiving you!"

My face slips into a small frown, not completely fond of the idea of shattering the entire reason we came down here. And for a _dragon?_ The pet of our rivals, no less. It would be worth so much money, too! I sigh, still trying to avoid drawing the creature's attention.

Butterfly notices my expression and grows concerned. "Elaide, what's the matter?" Her golden hue glows brighter with worry. "Is something wrong?"

I look up at her, wiping the conflict off of my face. "It's nothing! I'm just preparing myself. So, anyway, what's the plan?" I divert the attention off of me as quickly as I can, sounding a bit rushed in my words as I do so. Butterfly, being the trusting individual that she is, believes me, deciding not to press the subject.

"The both of you charge the Doomstone, and start trying to break it," Butterfly looks between the two of us, checking for any other solutions that we want to share. "I'll try to distract the dragon so you can shatter the stone in peace. It's simple. No one gets hurt. It's a fool proof plain. Everyone got it?" I nod, the teenage boy doing the same behind me, still donning his iconic blue hat.

"If that's the case," Butterfly announces, her voice growing with confidence. "Then let's go BREAK THAT STONE!" The dragon's attention is quickly alerted as the glittering insect shouts, drawing his eyes toward her.

The male and I run off at the stone, both our weapons raised high. I arrive first, giving the Doomstone a blow with the silver blade of my long sword. The weapon bounces back off, leaving only a chip in the side.

"Damn, that's a thick rock," I grunt as my human companion attempts to drive his dagger into the smoky gem as well. He leaves yet another insignificant chip in side, making just as little of progress as I did. I check back at Butterfly, seeing her still flying around with the infant animal in tow. It shoots a slew of purple smoke out at her, sending her reeling backwards. I hear her scold the creature, as if it were only a child who refuses to eat their dinner.

"Blades aren't working," the young man observes from my left, bringing me back to my own task. "What does that leave us with?" I look at him for a moment, reading his facial expressions. Without saying a word, I raise my sword, preparing to swing it down. Instead of doing so, I slam the hilt of the weapon into the Doomstone, the dark mist licking at my hands. I hear a satisfying cracking sound, signifying that my idea worked.

"Use the handle," I tell him, although this is unnecessary, as he already grasps the general idea just from my action. He hits the object hard with the hilt of his dagger, adding on to the spider like cracks left from my sword. Smiling at each other, we get to work, digging the blunt ends of our weapons into the crystal. We pound into it like miners in a shaft, our efforts echoing around the cavern, mixed with Butterfly's tantalizing shouts.

After a few minutes of jamming our tools into the stone, my arms begin to tire, the boy's stamina draining as well. We both pant, taking a quick thirty second break to cool down.

"This is harder than I thought," the male groans beside me, his chest heaving slightly. I nod, wiping off the sweat forming on my face. I glance over at Butterfly once more, still teasing the reptilian creature.

"You can't catch me!" I hear her shout as she twirls around, starting to sparkle increasingly brighter. In response, the dragon exhales another wave of shadows, this time managing to skim one of her wings. "My Goddess, that's hot!" She shrieks, fanning out her wing. "That's not very considerate!" The dragon peers up at the rambling insect, charging up to attack again. Butterfly looks terrified, trying her best to move out of the way.

"Shit, Butterfly!" I yell, alarmed. I spin around, doing my best to protect my friend. I slam the handle of my sword down in the rock once more, sending enough force to deliver the final blow. The Doomstone splits in half, the two parts falling gracefully into the grass. The once grotesque shade of violet fades away, leaving a much more serene tint of crystalline blue. The smoky aura dissipates along with it, leaving the rock to appear like a normal, powerless crystal.

Wasting no time, I run over to check on my fluttering companion. I find her still hovering in the air, looking mostly unscathed from the beast. From where I'm currently standing, her wings both look fine, the beast having left no permanent damage. Butterfly's eyes are trained on the aforementioned creature, which is now laying peacefully in the chilled grass. To my surprise, the insect's plan actually worked, the dragon's shadowy hue no longer present. Its scale are now a rosy shade of pink, leaving a much more relaxed expression on its face. It's head is topped off with a dark pink shell that somewhat resembles a blooming flower, making the once vicious creature take on a whole new innocent look.

I grab Butterfly's attention by waving my hand in front of her face, motioning for her to resume her designated perch on my shoulder. She does so, looking relieved to be out of the air.

She looks up at me from where she sits, a concerned expression in her eyes. "Is it... dead?" She sounds shaken, worried for its well being, despite it trying to kill her a few minutes ago. I don't reply, leaving the two of us to wordlessly stare at it.

To my amazement and Butterfly's excitement, the youthful reptile begins to stir. First, it twitches its front legs, slowly progressing to its back ones. Having gotten a feel of its appendages again, the creature attempts to stand up, shakily placing the bottoms of his feet on the ground. Losing its balance, it tumbles back onto his stomach. More understanding of the action now, it redeems its footing more efficiently and successfully this time, not slipping backwards into the flora. It inhales deeply, taking a few moments before exhaling it back out, mimicking an animal taking its first breaths.

"We did it, Elaide!" Butterfly shouts ecstaticly. "We really sav-"

"Aha! I knew it! I knew your sign was hogwash!"

Butterfly and I turn toward the new speaker, the teenage male a few yards behind us no doubt doing the same. To no one's surprise, the interrupter is nobody but the royal scientist, Hughes himself. The same possé of paladins stand motionless behind him.

"Now tell me, marauders, where did you hide the stone?!" Hughes continues, his arrogant voice loud as ever. Butterfly, being the negotiator, flies off of my shoulder, beckoning the aging man to come closer.

"We're not the guys you're looking for!" She informs the man, keeping a calm tone. "That would be- that would be Pierre and Butch." She takes a moment to pause before revealing the identity of the thieves, as if it pains her to blow their cover.

Hughes stares at her impatiently, still expectantly waiting to know the location of Doomstone. Reluctantly, Butterfly picks up on his expression, fluttering farther away from him, over to the stone. "The Doomstone, it's- it's over here." Interest ablaze, Hughes dashes over to where the insect hovers, gazing down at the shattered crystal.

"This is a joke, right?" He looks up at the boy, an unamused look on his face. I walk over to them, still grasping my sword tightly at my side.

"No," the teenaged male starts to explain, storing his dagger under his coat. "The dragon over there-" he points to Chompy. "-it got... possessed... I guess you could say, by the Doomstone. It was the exact same color any everything, and acting all aggressive. We came up with the idea that, if we shatter the stone, it would release its hold on the creature. We were right." Hughes stares at the boy as he finishes his story, a ponderous glint in his eyes.

"Possessed? By a Doomstone? Fascinating..." The scientist wonder aloud, speaking to no one in particular. He turns back to look at the soldiers, all still in a uniformed line. "You! Men! Take these fragments back to my lab! This calls for further investigation. Now as for _you three_ ," he looks at us, mixed emotions in his mind. "I ought to punish you for being so careless with a priceless artifact, but these circumstances are... unique. Very well. I shall congratulate you on your bravery and your findings. Good job on saving the creature. Second of all, I ask you not to get involved with any further official or royal business, unless tasked to do so by an authoritative figure. With that out of the way, I should be on my way. This will require an array of research."

The man stalks off, getting lost in the various solutions rolling around through his constantly busy mind. I look at my partners, all of which share my lack of care towards Hughes' warning. The three of us chuckle, all sharing the same thought.

I'd say this journey was pretty successful. Butterfly and I met a new friend, and discovered a huge mystery about Doomstones, one that not even the most successful scientist in Castele knew about. Of course, I may not have been able to make off with the stone and sell it for a wealthy sum of Dosh, but if I keep up with my work as a paladin, I should be able to accumulate quite a lot. Besides, Pam's insurance might give us enough to recover the damages to the roof and my room, and maybe, if I'm lucky, Hughes might deliver some payment for my contribution to his research. I should hold my breath, though. But, although we've accomplished a lot today, there's still one more thing I want to know.

"Hey, I never got your name," I bring up, staring the teenage boy dead in the eyes. Butterfly looks up, her interest peaked as well.

"Yeah, come to think of it, me neither!" She flaps her wings enthusiastically. "Spill it!"

The male visibly begins to blush, before stuttering out an answer. "Uh-h, m-my name? You- you want my name? I'm, uh... my n-name's... you c-can just call me the Gir- Boy! The Boy- the Girboy with the Blue Cap!" He seems clearly flustered, his cheeks glistening with sweat. "I- I should probably get going..." he says, before dashing off in a hurry.

Butterfly and I linger there, confused at the event that just unfolded. She slows down her wing speed, deciding to just quit altogether and land on my shoulder.

"Girboy... sounds exotic!"

"What it _sounds_ like is bullshit."

I laugh, Butterfly soon joining in. I begin to walk towards the cavern steps, excited to be done with today.

"Goddess, I am _SO_ done with dragons," I rant, exhausted from all the recent occurrences in my life. "First, I'm tasked with stealing one's egg, and we _all_ know how that ended. Second, we come down here, looking for a Doomstone, and before we know it, we're tasked with saving the dragon belonging to the people who stole it. All dragons that I've met so far _really_ seem to be rude. Is it just me? I mean really. First you try to eat me, then my best friend? I'm not having it."

Butterfly and I walk off into the night, eager to rest our heads and get clean. Running around the Plains and eventually hammering away at a large rock in a humid cave really does that to a person. In my current state, I feel like I could sleep for a full week. Wouldn't it be nice if I got tomorrow off.

Wouldn't that be nice.

 **WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT I'M NOT ACTUALLY DEAD! When I said that I would have more frequent updates during the summer, I forgot to take into account my extreme procrastination. But, that's besides the point. Here it is, a 11k word chapter! Let's just say it's over 3x my normal word count because is took my nearly three months. (Even though I'm publishing this on the 19th not the 20th so technically it still hasn't been three months.) *cough cough* Yeah, let's just go with that. Anyways, thank you all so much for favoriting and following the story! It really makes my day and helps encourage me to push through my laziness and get these chapters out to you! I can't thank you enough for the support! Next chapter is probably going to be longer than this is, so it might take a bit. Plus, I'm going into high school so I'm gonna be really stressed most of the time. But I really love writing this and it's just so fun, so I'll try to get it out as soon as possible! Love you guys, and thank you for not giving up on my lazy ass!**


End file.
